In the ongoing Kolkata doctor rape-murder case, questions are being raised about the legal validity of lie-detector tests. The case, which has attracted significant attention, involved complex legal and ethical issues surrounding the use of such tests in criminal investigations. Legal experts and defense attorneys are debating whether lie-detector results can be admissible in court and how they impact the broader judicial process.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has received approval to conduct polygraph tests on Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and four colleagues of the victim. The investigation is centred on a 22-minute window between two calls made to the victim's family on August 9—one at 10:53 AM indicating she was unwell and another at 11:15 AM reporting her death by suicide.
Polygraph test details and limitations
Polygraph tests, also known as lie detector tests, measure physiological responses like blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, and skin conductivity. These tests, which require the accused's formal consent, are used to assess truthfulness but are not admissible in court without the accused’s consent. Senior advocate Milon Mukherjee highlights that these tests are not entirely reliable and their results are not accepted as evidence in court due to their potential inaccuracies.
Significance in the RG Kar case
The CBI is investigating discrepancies in former principal Sandip Ghosh's account of events surrounding the victim's death. Ghosh claimed he was informed about the body discovery at 9:15 AM, with the police complaint filed by 10:10 AM, yet he was absent when police arrived. Discrepancies include the timing of the calls to the victim’s family. The CBI aims to clarify the sequence of events and the 22-minute gap through these polygraph tests.
Further investigation
The CBI is also seeking court approval to administer a polygraph test to Sanjay Roy, the prime suspect in the case. A decision on this request is anticipated by Friday evening when Roy is scheduled to appear in court.
Also read | West Bengal govt suspends Sandip Ghosh, ex-principal of RG Kar Hospital, medical council follows suit
