Know all about potency test: How it brought Asaram, Narayan Sai, Tejpal behind bars

Jaipur: Normally in sexual assault cases involving senior citizens, lawyer for the accused tell the courts that the person is incapable of performing a sex act. In such cases, police conduct a potency test, the type of test that was conducted on Asaram Bapu in Jodhpur, and the report came out positive. Tehelka founder-editor Tarun Tejpal also went through this test while Asaram's son Narayan Sai may undergo the potency test. Officials point out to a case in 2001 in Jaipur, when an 81-year-old priest, Baba Jairam Das, was charged with raping a 38-year-old woman and then killed her by throwing her in a well. During investigation, it was found that the woman was raped, after she visited a temple in Ramganj area, where Baba Jairam Das stayed. The baba was arrested and charged with rape and murder, but during the trial, his lawyer said, the baba was not potent enough to commit rape. A potency test was conducted and it was found that the 81-year-old baba was sexually virile. This proved to be a clinching evidence, and he is now serving life imprisonment. In potency test, the doctors take a sample of semen for analysis, followed by a doppler scan of the penis, and a visual examination. Identifying the cause of a man's infertility is as much an art as a science. Male infertility specialists differ in their approach, but here are some of the tests a man can expect:Sperm and Semen AnalysisA trained expert assesses the man's sperm count, their shape, movement, and other variables. Generally, a higher number of normal-shaped sperm means higher fertility. But exceptions are common. Many men with low sperm counts or abnormal semen are still fertile. And about 15% of infertile men have normal semen and plenty of normal sperm. If the first semen analysis is normal, the doctor may order a second test to confirm the results. Two normal tests are usually interpreted to mean that the man doesn't have any significant infertility problems. If something in the results looks irregular, the doctor might order further tests to pinpoint the problem. Surprisingly, if no semen or sperm at all are present (azoospermia), this can be a good thing. It might suggest a blockage in the "plumbing" that can be corrected with surgery.Physical ExamA good physical exam can detect varicoceles -- described below -- and give clues to hormone problems. Testicular size can be measured. The physical exam should ideally be performed by a urologist.Hormone EvaluationTestosterone, and multiple hormones made in the brain, control sperm production. However, hormones are not the main problem in 97% of infertile men. Experts disagree as to how big a search should be done for hormonal causes of infertility.Genetic TestingGenetic tests can identify specific obstacles to fertility, and problems with sperm. Experts differ as to when genetic tests should be done.