A 39-year-old woman was gang raped by four men while camping with her husband in the India Datia district forest. The couple had been on a cycling tour, which had started on February third. The husband was beaten, robbed and tied to a tree. Six men were involved, but two overpowered the husband, while the other four men raped the woman. They stole a laptop and 10,000 rupees, which is the equivalent to $185 American dollars. The woman was in shock and hospitalized.
The men all came from the village of Jharia, and each confessed to the crime. The trial began on March 30th. There are some unusual laws and events regarding this case, which include:
- Confessions are not admissible in court
- Confessions can be retracted
- Twenty people have been detained for questioning
- The Swiss ambassador to India has spoken with the couple, offering his support, and pushed for a speedy trial/justice.
In this case the senior law enforcement officials have adequate forensic evidence to convict the men. They claim their scientific evidence collected at the scene is more than adequate to prove the charges. The authorities collected vaginal swabs, samples of hair and fingerprints. They are also submitting a 100-page charge sheet to the court without a test identification parade by the accused as it was too dark for the victim to recognize her attackers. The laptop and money was found and returned to the owners.
Earlier this year, a 23-year-old woman was gang raped on a New Delhi bus and later died, which sparked outrage throughout India, hence their new implemented laws. India has recently passed the toughest anti-rape laws in their history due to the increase in rapes against women.
The minimum sentence for gang rape ranges from 10 to 20 years in prison, and perpetrators can get sentences for life imprisonment as well. In addition, India has issued a travel notice that warns people about the “increasing number of rapes and other sexual offenses.” One of the prisoners was found dead in prison, and it is unclear as to whether he committed suicide or if he was murdered.
Forensic evidence is tested by labs like the Genetic Testing Laboratories, Inc., which is a fully accredited laboratory. This laboratory uses the most advanced technology available. They offer a large variety of tests with a guarantee of accuracy. The tests include:
- DNA Paternity testing, maternity DNA testing, Siblingship testing, Grandparent testing and more.
- DNA Predisposition Testing is available, which reveals genetic predisposition to specific diseases.
- Ancestral origin DNA testing that is compared to hundreds of global populations
- Naturalization Service/Department of human Services uses GTL labs for immigration services.
This laboratory is accredited by numerous facilities, including the American Association of Blood Banks, the National Association of Testing Authorities, Safe Harbor, International Accreditation Forum (ISO) and A2LA, which is the largest multi-discipline laboratory accreditation system in the United States that is recognized by the European Union.
Fingerprints and other DNA evidence play a major role in trials today. It is more reliable than an eye witness as the results are accurate and provide validation.
