Time-sensitive DNA test not done even 3 days after Wakad rape

Police and doctors plead unavailability of kit in city; experts say delay inexcusable, may weaken case

In rape cases it is crucial that DNA tests be conducted without waste of time if the accused are to be nailed, but MiD DAY has learnt from police officials that even after 72 hours of the gang rape in Wakad of a 25-year-old, DNA samples from the accused and the victim are yet to be collected for analysis.

"We have asked the hospital authorities to conduct DNA tests on the accused and the victim. The samples will then be sent to the state forensic science laboratory," said DCP Mahesh Patil (Zone III).

Asked why the DNA samples weren't collected for three days, he said the kit for collecting DNA evidence in rape cases wasn't available in the city and had to be called for from Mumbai.

Speaking to MiD DAY, Dr Anand Jagdale, medical superintendent of YCM Hospital in Pimpri, said that the kit for forensic analysis confirmed the DCP's assertion.

"Besides, we don't collect DNA evidence in every case. It is only when the police request it and make the kit available that we do so," said Dr Jagdale.

Loss of evidence
MiD DAYu00a0 spoke to various experts on DNA tests, and they said there was a possibility of loss of important biological evidence if certain DNA samples are not collected within the first few hours of rape.

"Firstly, even if the kit isn't available, the samples can be collected and sent for analysis. Certain kind of biological evidence is lost after a few hours and that's why time is crucial in cases of rape," said Dr Rajesh Dere, forensic expert at Mumbai's Sion hospital.

The question of evidence loss was denied by DCP Patil, who said that certain important evidence had been collected and what was remaining wasn't a time-bound process.

"We have taken vaginal swabs of the victim already. Now Time-sensitive DNA test not done even 3 days after Wakad rape we will be conducting blood tests and collecting semen samples of the accused. These procedures are necessary but not time-bound so there is not question of loss of evidence," said Patil.

Dr Shailesh Mohite, another forensic expert from Mumbai, said that it wasn't necessary for doctors to wait for a police request to conduct DNA tests.

"Whatever evidence is essential to link the accused and victim needs to be and should be recorded by doctors. They needn't wait for a police nod, and can insist on its importance after taking the victim's consent," said Mohite.