Ahmedabad: Truth on hold as anaesthetists busy in Covid duty

AHMEDABAD: Truth be told. For the the past five months, the Directorate of Forensic Sciences (DFS) at Gandhinagar, the only centre in India to carry out narco analysis where suspects are questioned to spill out the truth by forensic experts in a medicine-induced torpor, has not carried out a single narco-test.

The big reason is the lack of availability of anaesthetists, whose presence is mandatory for the tests, as they are busy saving lives in ICUs following the Covid outbreak.

Annually, the premier forensic sciences unit carries out about 60 to 65 such tests on behalf of courts and central or state police investigation agencies. Narco analysis at DFS has helped investigators get crucial details in highprofile cases like Aarushi Talwar murder case, Nithari killings and 2008 serial bomb blasts.

In 2020, DFS has carried out only 10 tests, all before the first case of Covid was recorded in the state on March 19. Top sources at the DFS told TOI while travel restrictions due to Covid-19 pandemic prevented the investigating agencies from coming to Gujarat capital, non- availability of anaesthetists is a major issue.

“Doctors who consulted with us for the narco analysis test are now involved in Covid-19 care and cannot be spared by hospitals,” said a senior official.

Officials said the presence of an independent doctor is crucial in narco-test to constantly check vitals of the person under investigation and ensure the person is not under duress. “A letter seeking help was written to the state health department. We recently got a response that we can approach two anaesthetists from a semi-government hospital in the future," said the official. He added that he is hopeful that narco-testing will resume shortly.

Sources close to the development said that accused in at least three high profile cases from north India are scheduled for the narco analysis once the procedure gets resumed at DFS. A couple of requests have also been received from Gujarat, they added.