September 23, 2024

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Karnataka HC decides that Polygraph checks will probably be completed solely after accused’s consent. That negates the aim of it

3 min read

In what comes as a barely unusual determination, the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday dominated out that the polygraph check, extra colloquially known as the lie-detector can’t be administered with out acquiring the written consent of the accused individual to whom it’s to be administered.The single-judge Bench of Justice Suraj Govindaraj was listening to the petition filed by one Virendra Khanna (accused within the 2018 sandalwood drug scandal) difficult a trial courtroom’s order which directed him to bear a polygraph check and supply biometric passwords for his digital units to the police.As per a duplicate of the judgment posted by Bar and Bench, the courtroom noticed that mere silence of the involved individual won’t quantity to consent of such individual. The consent by the accused must be categorical, with none doubt and ought to be made after being knowledgeable and made conscious of the implications of the check.“Mere silence of the said person would not amount to consent on behalf of such person. If a person were to refuse the administration of polygraph test, no such polygraph test could be administered and even if administered, the result of the said test would be void and cannot be considered by a Court of Law,” the judgment mentioned.Noting that the trial courtroom must have considered the truth that a polygraph check can’t be performed with out the consent of the accused, the Karnataka High Court put aside the sooner order and mentioned that the consent have to be obtained in writing.“The consent in writing to be obtained from such a person before directing the administration of the polygraph test. Merely because an accused is silent, neither accepts or rejects the administration of polygraph test would not amount to consent being provided by the accused,” the judgment mentioned.As a lot because the courts of India want to uphold the non-public liberty of the accused or criminals, one can’t assist however surprise, which accused would voluntary step up and signal a written conformation for a lie detector check which has the potential to implicate him? It is just like the umpire asking a batsmen struck plumb on the pads by a straight supply if he wish to be given LBW out or not.Lately, the upper courts of the nation have introduced the highlight upon themselves for the slew of judgements and observations they’ve made. It began with a 25-year-old man accused of raping and impregnating a 16-year-old woman, who was granted bail after he expressed willingness to marry the minor woman.Things grew to become rather a lot iffier when earlier this month, CJI Bobde granted interim safety to a 23-year-old authorities worker of Maharashtra, accused of repeatedly committing rape on a minor woman in 2014-15. However, it was his query to the accused occasion, “Will you marry her?” that brought on loads of furore amongst the general public.Read extra: “Will you marry her?” Supreme Court asks rapist of a minor woman, grants him interim safety for 4 weeksThe aforementioned determination by the Karnataka High Court has been made in good religion however in the actual world when a legal is snared within the web of an investigative company, the polygraph check is likely one of the essential instruments used to acquire a confession. However, by taking away that energy, the courts have made the duty more durable for the chief to carry out its obligation.