POCSO Case: Madhya Pradesh High Court Directs FSL To Retest DNA Samples

Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): The High Court has directed the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) Bhopal to retest DNA samples by a team of three scientists and present their report within ten days related to a POCSO case.

The court directive came after Scientific Officer and Assistant Chemical Examiner, Dr Sujata Gautam admitted in her affidavit that she committed a mistake in preparing the report of DNA samples.

The court ordered Dr Gautam shall not be a member of the team that will retest the samples.

A division bench of Justice Vivek Agrawal and Justice AK Singh said ‘she (Dr Gautam) has admitted the mistake however mere admission of mistake is not sufficient’.

‘We further direct her to undergo refresher course/training programme before she can be deployed for the work of testing’, the court said. Further the court said all her reports shall be cross-checked by another scientist and counter signed by other scientist before they are presented to the Court.

Her appointing authority is directed to take action for such a glaring mistake, the court ordered.

She is also divested of her responsibilities of testing the samples as such mistakes can play havoc with the life of a victim/accused, the court said. The court was hearing a criminal appeal filed by a convict in POCSO case.