Padma Bhushan award winner and forensic scientist P. Chandra Sekharan has expressed reservation about the use of investigative techniques such as narco analysis and brain mapping.
Terming it an “invasion of privacy”, he told The Hindu on the sidelines of an event held here to felicitate him on the occasion of his 80th birthday that the police should not work at strengthening cases based on these methods. “When the results of these tests cannot be produced as evidence in a court of law, where then is the need for such tests to be conducted? Police cannot build up cases based on it,” he said.
‘Law must prevail’
The professor — the only person to be awarded the Padma Bhushan in the field of forensic science — said was also the principal scientific investigator in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. When asked on his opinion on the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to release those convicted in the assassination, he said: “Legal procedure must be followed. I am neither for nor against the Tamil sentiments. The law should prevail and a violation of the law will result in anarchy.”
The event saw friends and family of the professor take a trip down memory lane and people speaking on his many accomplishments.
Those who spoke at the programme included R.P. Sharma, Additional Director-General of Police, Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force; Nagambika Devi, Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports; K. Vijayakumar, the former Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University; and M. Krishnamurthi, the former director of the Fiji Sugar Corporation, among others.
Mr. Sharma described him as “a man who has always had a younger heart and mind when compared to his age” and commended his high energy levels.
Ms. Nagambika Devi said she was proud to be associated with the professor.
