SC reserves judgement on petitions against brain-mapping

New Delhi, Jan 24 (UNI) The Supreme Court today reserved its judgement on a bunch of petitions challenging the validity of law permitting the investigating agency to subject an accused to polygraphic, brain-mapping and narco analysis tests.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and J M Panchal reserved the judgement after the arguments, for and against the validity of section 53 CrPC, were concluded.

Petitioners Selvi and others have challenged these tests on the grounds that they invade the privacy and secrecy of the life of the accused and also violates law that an accused cannot be forced to make a statement against himself.

These tests were also opposed as some drugs are administered and electric shocks are also given which affect the health of the accused.

The Central government, however, justified these tests on the grounds that sometimes disclosures made by the accused during such tests help the investigating agency in cracking the case and also in collecting the evidence against the culprit.

These tests are necessary to solve the cases of henoius crimes like terrorism, rape, murder, dacoity and extortion and no statement is recorded during these tests and disclosures are not used as evidence against the culprit.

The government further contended that no direct attack on the body is made during polygraphic and brain-mapping test and drugs are administered in controlled quantity in case of narco analysis.

UNI AKS/SC DS AS1727