Brain-mapping, Polygraph and Narco-analysis tests in suspects declared as “illegal”- Supreme Court

The Supreme Court today declared as “illegal” use of narco-analysis, brain-mapping and polygraph tests on suspects. No individual can be forced and subjected to such techniques involuntarily, and by doing so it amounts to unwarranted intrusion of personal liberty. The court said that involuntarily subjecting an accused, a suspect or a witness to such techniques violates Article 20 (3) of the Constitution, which prohibits self-incrimination. Further, forcing an individual to such methods of investigation violates the scheme of legal process, it said, adding that even if a person is subjected to such a mode of investigation on consent, the result of the test cannot be an admissible piece of evidence.The bench, also comprising Justices R. V. Raveendran and Dalveer Bhandari, said if anything obtained by the investigators from such techniques in which a person had volunteered, the agencies can use them for further probe.