Author: Mateen Hafeez
Publication: The Times of India
Date: November 1, 2008
Introduction: Police Plan To Subject Her To
Another Round Of Forensic Tests
A brain mapping test conducted on sadhvi Pragya
Singh Thakur, an accused in the September 29 Malegaon blast, at the state
forensic lab showed that she was not lying during the forensic tests, said
sources. The police are now planning to subject her to another round of forensic
tests. Thakur had been subjected to a narco analysis test at the Nagpada police
hospital earlier this week but the results are not known.
Thakur, a former member of Durga Vahini, a
women's wing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, was arrested on October 23 after being
interrogated over 10 days. A bomb planted on a bike went off in the textile
town killing six. The police found that the bike used in the blast was registered
in Thakur's name. Four others arrested along with her including a retired
major were also subjected to several scientific tests in Mumbai.
While the report of a narco analysis test
is not admissible in the court of law in India, the police have secured two
convictions based only on the report of brain mapping test, which is admissible
in the court. "The brain mapping test went on for almost two hours. A
team of forensic experts was handed over a long list of questions,'' said
the source.
It may be recalled that in the 7/11 blast
investigation, the accused were subjected to second round of forensic tests
when the police did not get positive result in the first test. According to
the police, the tests conducted at Victoria Hospital in Bangalore proved conclusive
and helped the investigators to find the missing links in the conspiracy and
execution of the train blasts.
Interestingly, most of these tests are not
admissible. However, police officials say they help in getting leads about
a crime.
