Police pin hopes on ‘truth serum’ for leads in probe

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Thursday granted permission to the Delhi Police to conduct a narco analysis of Aaftab Amin Poonawala after he gave his consent for the test.

On Thursday, Abinash Kumar, the defence counsel provided to Poonawala by the Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) said the court of metropolitan magistrate Vijayshree Rathore asked his client whether he is ready to go through with the narco test.

“Poonawala, who was completely aware of the procedure and complications of the test, at once gave the consent for his narco test,” Kumar said.

To be sure, the Supreme Court in 2010 had imposed restrictions on the conduct of narco test and held them illegal, ruling that no lie detector tests should be administered “except on the basis of consent of the accused”.

Though narco analysis generally does have legal validity, the court may grant limited admissibility after considering the circumstances under which the test was obtained.

Also called the lie detector test. Six sensors are attached to a person’s body to record heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and perspiration during questioning. The indicators purportedly shoot up if a person lies. Experts, however, say it may also be triggered by nervousness, anxiety, fear, confusion. Findings are not admissible in court.

BRAIN MAPPING

In this test, electrodes attached to head and face record unique brain waves generated when the person is exposed to the pictures, videos or sounds related to the case. Findings, however, are not admissible in court