How can we believe other DNA reports from FSL, Hyderabad

The recent news about corruption in Hyderabad FSL involving the DNA expert Mr Venkanna, adds to the list of corrupt institutions within India. The article and YouTube link is given for you to get updated.

http://www.hydjournal.com/headlineNews.php?id=896

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2f9Rk6bBXY


This is the second episode within 3 months after a Headlines Today expose showed how officials at Lucknow's Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) are ready to fudge reports in return for money.This is a very disturbing situation and different from other corrupt practises since a fudged report from a FSL can lead to a life and death situation. Further false convictions and undeserved acquittals can also result. Under such circumstances, I wonder whether it would be right on the part of the Judiciary and the persons involved to believe the DNA reports issued from FSL Hyd. Now the criminals would get all the defense to thrash other experts from FSL Hyderabad on this matter. No expert can stand upto a strong cross examination to prove that his or her report was not influenced. It needs a lot of integrity and expertise to do that. My recent article in Criminal Law Journal also mentioned how DNA reports were improperly issued on samples which did not yield any DNA. More over the accused official of FSL Hyderabad has also mentioned that his Joint Director was also expecting money.Imagine that for dispatching the report Mr Venkanna allegedly demanded Rs 12000/- then how much he would have demanded and accumulated for fudging the results and giving false reports. Wish I could cross examine him in any one case and I could bring out more facts from him in the Court. Any amount of explanations made by the FSL Hyd are not sufficient.

All the right thinking persons who are in this medicolegal profession need to impress the Judiciary that all the DNA reports issued under the signature of Mr Venkanna need to put to retest in another laboratory, preferably abroad, to prove that his analysis and reports were not biased. The cost should be borne by the Government because no innocent should go to jail because of such corrupt establishment and officials. In case that is not possible then a decision needs to be taken that further criminal and civil trials should be conducted on other material facts of a case excluding the DNA report of Mr Venkanna.

Please raise a voice against such corruption which is playing with the lives of the innocent and file appropriate petitions in relevant cases to avoid innocents from suffering.