Forensic Evidence and Law

To know the unknown and the quest for truth is an innate human nature. The perceptions make the facts and the facts make the evidence. In any criminal investigation, the quest for truth is the essence of investigation. The interface between various branches of Forensic Science and law has increased in the last few years due to the advancement of technology and the thrust on use of various investigative techniques in crimes committed with utmost precision with the intent not to get caught and surpass the action of law.

This book tries to shelve the scope of various types of forensic evidence and interface and involvement of forensic science in crime investigation in modern times. This book exhibits an overview of the scientific and forensic techniques used during investigation and narrates the legal expectations through the analysis of provisions and procedures of various laws implemented by the investigating agencies.

The book enumerates the details of the evolution of the use of various forensic and scientific evidence and the appreciation of such forensic and scientific evidence together with the appreciation of expert opinion by the judiciary. The book portrays the holistic picture of forensic and scientific evidence in the light of the judgments of the Supreme Court of India, limitations laid down regarding the forensic science, methodology of procuring such evidence, prohibitions and restrictions laid down by the Supreme Court on certain forensic techniques.

This book will be helpful as a ready reference to the various investigating agencies, lawyers, judges and law students for detailed analysis of the interface between Forensic Evidence and Law.

Reviews

Forensic Evidence and Law is replete with invaluable information on all aspects on all aspects of evidence from the general law of evidence to the retrieval of digital evidence. It is deep dive into the Law of evidence and a thoroughly researched commentary containing references and discussions on Indian and foreign cases. The authors, Dr Sanjeeb K. Panigrahi and Dr Swapnil Bengali, have insightfully introduced and dealt with the subject matter in language that is simple yet instructive. The book would be indispensable to legal practitioners, investigative officers, and judicial officers.

- K.K. Venugopal
Sr. Advocate, Former Attorney General for India

Dr Sanjeeb K Panigrahi and Dr Swapnil Bangali deserve appreciation for their publication Forensic Evidence and Law, an insightful and valuable work. The work is extremely instructive. There is scant material on this subject. This book would provide meaningful support to Lawyers, judicial stake-holders and investigative officers. The authors deserve my congratulations for this valuable work.

- Mukul Rohatgi,
Sr. Advocate, Former Attorney General for India

Right from its table of contents, thoughtfully breaking up the subject into propositions and sub- propositions, to its analytical approach qua each theme, to its heavily researched and comprehensive footnotes and to its easy narrative style, this book is all set to become a magnum opus on the subject it dissects. I have no doubt that this new work will be a practitioner's favourite and a beginner's bible. I commend the authors for their visibly arduous efforts, their meticulous diligence and their sustained creativity right through this very comprehensive tome.

- Dr Abhishek Singhvi,
MP, Jurist; Former Addl. Solicitor General, of India; Chair,
Parliamentary Standing Committee

I congratulate Dr Sanjeeb K. Panigrahi and Dr. Swapnil Bangali for introducing powerful and insightful work on forensic evidence and law. The detailed and colossal research on scientific and forensic evidence together with the numerous decisions of the Supreme Court is the most remarkable factor of this book. Undoubtedly, this book will become invaluable source of reference for the readers of law and forensic science.

- Dr. J. M. Vyas,
Vice-Chancellor, NFSU, Gandhinagar

This book will become invaluable source of reference as it deals with detailed characteristics of forensic and scientific evidence with critical analysis of applicability of law and procedure inescapably omnipresent and yet enigmatically elusive. The lawyers, judges, forensic experts, investigating officers and more importantly the students of law and forensics will be benefited by this book for generations.

- Ujjwal Nikam,
Criminal Lawyer