[greenyouth] Sreelakshmi's polygraph test: Bangalore lab denies police claim

[Ajay]

Sreelakshmi's polygraph test: Bangalore lab denies police claim

Pioneer News Service | Kochi 16/7/06 http://dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=KOCHI&file_name=KOCHI8%2Etxt&counter_img=8 Dr S Malini, Assistant Director, Forensic Science Laboratory, Bangalore, has rebutted the claims of the city police that it has made a request to conduct polygraph test on T Sreelakshmi, the student arrested in connection with the admission scandal at Cochin University of Science and Technology. The police had informed they had sent a request to the laboratory immediately after the arrest of the girl.

They began the probe on June 19 and arrested Sreelakshmi on June 22. "We received the letter from the police only on June 13, the reference date in the letter is June 11," she said. The laboratory would consider the letter and take further decisions at the earliest, informed Dr Malini.

She was speaking at a press conference held prior to the seminar on 'Polygraph, narco-analysis and brain mapping tests and their legal and social relevance', on Saturday.

Crime investigators could depend upon narco-analysis, when they fall short of solid evidence against the accused, as the test is "99.9 per cent reliable". The directives issued by the various courts, including the Supreme Court, to subject the uncooperative accused for narco-analysis, stand as a testimonial for its relevance in the investigations, said Dr Malini. The laboratory has recorded around 450 cases of narco-analysis all over the country.

She said only clinically sane persons could be subjected to the analysis. The test is performed by a team of expert scientists and doctors.

Dr Malini stressed that the laboratory had no intention of training the police personnel to conduct the test though it helps to reveal the truth without resorting to any "third degree practices".

Explaining the process of conducting the analysis, she said a preliminary test is done to get an idea of the mental state of the person undergoing it. At this stage the person subjected to it will be detailed on the process to be followed as part of the analysis.

The narco-analysis is performed in the operation theatre after administering Sodium Pentothal, commonly referred to as truth serum. One-third of the drug administered on patient undergoing surgery, is required to bring the person "to a semi-conscious state". Under the influence of the serum, the subject is likely to lose his inhibition and tell the truth.

The efficiency of the test depends on the questions posed before the person undergoing it. The questions have to be well farmed to ensure the best results, said Dr Malini. The tests are safe as it does not create side effects. The effect of the drug lasts for about 6-8 s

She also detailed on the polygraph and brain mapping or brain fingerprinting. There are 700-800 cases before the laboratory for polygraph tests. The polygraph machine detects the changes in blood pressure, heart rate, skin conductivity. It works on the principle that a person is under stress when he tells a lie.

Brain mapping technique measures the response of the brain to relevant words, phrases or pictures to detect whether it is already stored in the subject's brain.

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"Ours is a battle not for wealth or for power.
It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of human personality."
- Dr BR Ambedkar
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