DAMODARAM SANJIVAYYA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY

VISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH

COURSE OUTLINE

Title of the Subject: FORENSIC SCIENCE AND LAW

Semester: VIII

Name of the Faculty: Dr. V. Sunitha Total No. Hours: 60

Credits: 4

Introduction

In the modern world, Forensic science forms an integrated part of criminal justice System. From
times immemorial, crime has been a part of human society. With the advancement of science and
technology, the concept of crime as well as the methods adopted by criminals in its commission
have undergone a phenomenal change. On one hand, the intelligent criminal has been quick to
exploit science for his criminal acts, on the other hand, the police investigator is no longer able to
rely on his age-old art of interrogation, development of sources and surveillance to detect crime.
The ways of interrogation of criminals by using third degree methods are now giving way to new
scientific methods of investigation. For effective ways of investigation are indispensable.
Forensic science development has provided a powerful tool in the hands of the law enforcement
agencies and the judiciary.

The application of science to those criminal and civil laws that are enforced by the police
agencies in a criminal justice system can be defined as Forensic Science. Forensic Science deals
with the application of the knowledge and methodology of various disciplines of science to legal
matters. It involves the use of multiple disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology, computer
science and engineering for evidence analysis. 

Forensic science is the application of the methods of the natural and physical sciences to matters
of criminal and civil law. Forensic science can be involved not only in investigation and
interrogation of different kinds of crimes but also in matters in which a crime has not been
committed but in which someone is charged with civil wrong such as will fraud, pollution of air
or water or causing industrial inquiries. As criminals are getting intelligent day by day, forensic
science is also updating itself by introducing new methods and techniques.

Course Objective

 To provide knowledge about the basic principles of forensic science, different branches,
functions, nature and scope of forensic science.

 To provide knowledge of collection of fingerprints, different patterns and types of

fingerprints.
  To explain about the different classification of fingerprints, different aspects used for
matching of fingerprints.

 To provide the classification of poisons and their modes of actions. The classification and
characteristics of the narcotics, drugs and psychotropic substances. The significance of
toxicological studies in forensic science

 To ascertain the importance of forensic science in the field of law.

 To ascertain the issues & concerns of admissibility of various kinds of forensic evidence
in the legal regime

 The study in detail about the basics and different branches of forensic science.

Outcome of the Subject

After completing this course, students should be able to

 Analyze the basic principles of forensic science and law

 Understand the main provisions of forensic science
 Know and understand the significance of recent advancements in forensic science
 Able to learn how the principles of forensic science used to solve criminal cases
 Will learn the importance of various evidences and how they are used to solve criminal
cases
 Can understand the theories proposed behind the causation criminal behavior, human
rights and its significance
 Role of expert witness, and relevant sections related to it
 The collection and preservation of different types of evidences

Gist of the Modules

Unit I: This Unit deals with the introduction, historical perspective principals of forensic science,
history and development of forensic science in India, functions of forensic scientist, forensic
science institutions at State and regional levels, functioning of forensic science laboratories

Unit II: This unit talks about forensic science and law. In India, there is well-established legal
system for criminal investigations and trials. The Code of Criminal Procedure, Indian Penal
Code and Indian Evidence Act are the three main legislations that primarily govern the criminal
justice system in India. The criminal justice system is supplemented by the rules framed by the
government, High Courts and Supreme Court and rules provided in the court manuals, police
manuals and prison manuals.

Unit III: This unit deals with forensic science and its different variants like crime scene
investigation, forensic toxicology, forensic psychology, cyber forensic, ballistic forensics etc.

Crime scene investigation is an important branch of forensic science, which plays an important
role in identifying the crime and the criminals. Every crime scene is unique and it is impossible
to propose a single, step-by-step procedure to investigate every type of scene of occurrence.
There are however, fundamental principles of investigating a crime scene and preserving
evidence that should be practiced in every case.

Toxicology is defined as a branch of science that deals with poisonous substances in relation to
their properties, actions, toxicity, symptoms, fatal dose, fatal period, detection, treatment and
autopsy findings in case of death. Forensic toxicology deals with the medical and legal aspects of
the harmful effects of poisonous substances on human beings.

Unit IV: This unit deals with the personal identity in forensic science as fingerprints, blood
grouping, body fluids, DNA, hand writing, salivary stains, seminal stains. Body fluid
identification is an important component in forensic science, as the ability to identify body fluids,
such as blood and semen, is often the key in a criminal investigation and is subsequently relied
upon in court. Many body fluid stains are invisible, present in very small quantities or mixtures,
and so identification is not always straightforward. Historically, tests relied on the use of
chemical or enzymatic assays that were often presumptive in nature and generally limited in
specificity or sensitivity, whereas confirmatory tests relied on microscopic or immunological
tests. Many of the early tests were incompatible with DNA profiling and consumed already
limited biological material

Unit V: The unit deals with recent advances in forensic science like Narco-Analysis – Polygraph
Test (lie Detector Test), Brain-Mapping, Forensic Evidence and admissibility in Criminal Justice
System, Constitutionality of the test and Human Rights, Judicial response towards forensic law.

It is common knowledge that when a person lies, he produces observable physical symptoms
such as rushing of blood to the face, twitching of lips, movement of toes etc. in the modern times
scientists have designed instruments that are capable of recording various physiological changes
which may serve as the basis for detecting truth or deception. The instrument designed for this
purpose is known as polygraph. It is also commonly known as lie Detector.
In most of the crimes, establishing identity of an individual, be it a victim of crime or the
suspect, becomes the backbone of police investigation. Fingerprint science has been so far the
only infallible means available to meet this requirement to a limited extent. DNA is a distinct
genetic code that made a spectacular breakthrough in biotechnology.

Course Outline

UNIT 1

UNIT Introduction CASES No. of

NO
Hours

1  Principals of Forensic Science 12

 History and Development of
Forensic
 Development of Forensic Science Nirmaljit Kaur v state of Punjab
in India (2006)9 SCC 363
 Functions of Forensic Scientist
 Forensic Science Institutions at
State and Regional Levels State of Gujarath V Krishna Bhai
 Functioning of Forensic Science (2014) SCC 108
Laboratories

UNIT 2

Forensic Science and Law

2  Forensic Science & Indian penal Raj kumar v State of MP (2014) 12

Code SSC 353

 Forensic Science & Procedural State v Nalini (1999)5 SCC 253

Laws
 Practical Forensic Examination
 Examination of blood, hair, foot
prints, etc.,
Syam Sundar Trivedi V State of
M.P 1995
Hanumappa v Yallaka 2014
Karnataka
Kathi kalu v state of Maharastra
 Selvi v state of Karnataka (2010)
7 SCC 263

Sandeep v State of Uttar

Pradesh SCC vol.6 pg.107

UNIT 3

Forensic Science and Variants

3  Crime Scene Investigation Narayan Dutt Tiwari vs ROhith 12

 Forensic Medicine (Role of
Medico Legal Expert in Crime
Investigation)
 Forensic Toxicology
 Forensic Psychology
 Cyber Forensic
 Ballistic Forensics
Shekar 2014
State of Karnataka v R.Raju
(2007) CrLJ 920 Ujjagar Singh v
state of Punjab (2007) 13 SCC
90 Shanthabhai V State of
Maharastra (2008) 16 SCC 354

Shrya Singhal v Union of India

Anwar P.V.V P.K Bhasheer

Shafi Mohamad v.State of

Himachal Pradesh

United States v Bowers, 1976

534 F 2nd edition 186

Manu Sharma v State (NCT of

Delhi) (2010) 6 SCC 1
Sukhwanth Singh v State of
Punjab, 1995 SCC 367

UNIT 4

Personal Identity in Forensic Science

 Genetic Revolution, Role of Bio Munaippan v Ponni, (2011) 920 12

 Molecular in the Individual CTC 635
characteristics
 Fingerprints, Blood Grouping, Jayaprakash v Nisha
Body Fluids
 DNA Manu/KF/0617/2103
 Hand Writing
 Salivary Stains Gautham Kundu v State of West
  Seminal Stains Bengal (1993)3 SCC 418

Dharma Deo Yadav v State of

UP (2014) SCC 509

Santhosh Kumar Singh v State

through CBI (2010) SCC 747

UNIT 5

Recent Advances in Forensic Science

5  Narco-Analysis – Polygraph Test Ramachandra reddy v state of 12

(lie Detector Test)
 Brain-Mapping
 Forensic Evidence and
admissibility in Criminal Justice
System
 Constitutionality of the test and
Human Rights
 Judicial response towards
forensic law
maharastra (2005)1 SCC 335
Rama Jawaiah V state 1955 SCR
225
United States v Scheffer(1998)
Rahul Mahajan’s Cese
Abu Salem Case

M.P.Sharma v Satish Sharma

Abdul Karim Ladsab Telgi’s
case

2006 Mumbai Blast Case or

Malegon blast case

Arushi Hemaraj murder Case

Text Books
S. No Author Title of Book Edition and Publisher

1 Pratyusha Das Forensic Evidence 2019, Eastern Law House

2 Arun Kumar Pathak Narco Analysis, Brain Mapping 2010, Pustak Sadan
& Lie Detector Tests Prakashan

3 V.P.Srivastava An Introduction to Cyber 2003, Indian

Crime Investigations Publishers/Distributors,
Delhi

4 Richard Saferstein Criminalistics An Introduction Ulan press

to Forensic Science

5 Modi Modi’s Medical Jurisprudence K.Kannan 26th edition

6 Jay Siegal Forensic Science a Beginners Simon&Schuster

Guide

7 Haward A. Harris Forensic Science and 2nd edition, CRC Press

Criminalistics

8 B lal Cross Examination of Hand Selective & Scientific

Writing Expert Books, Delhi