Krishan Vij MD, LLB
Professor and Head Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Government Medical College Hospital,
Chandigarh Mem: IAFM, IAFSc and Indo-Pacific Ass of Leg Med. Sc and Law
Rajesh Biswas MSc, PhD
Lecturer Department of Zoology Government Home Science College
Chandigarh
Published by
Jitendar P Vij
Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd
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Basics of DNA and Evidentiary Issues
© 2004, Krishan Vij and Rajesh Biswas
All rights reserved. No part of this publication should be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the authors and the publisher.
First Edition : 2004
9788180613487
Typeset at JPBMP typesetting unit
Printed at Gopsons Papers Ltd., A-14, Sector 60, Noida
4Foreword
Recent developments have added the DNA-technique to the armamentarium of scientists. Identification through this technology has revolutionized the forensic field, especially in sexual offences, as the previous problems of blood-group and enzyme-typing caused by the admixture of semen and vaginal secretion can now be solved in many instances. Each nucleated cell, whether it is from the skin, muscle, hair, bone, buccal epithelium or from any body-fluid; is enriched with DNA.
Sensitized by the present scenario, Dr Krishan Vij and Dr Rajesh Biswas have endeavoured to disseminate knowledge about this “blue-print” of life. The book carries basic aspects of DNA, right from its structure, collection, preservation and dispatch of the samples; to the problems concerned with admissibility of evidence. It presents topics in a simplified way so that even a layperson can gain insight into the various elementary concepts about the DNA and related evidentiary issues.
Dr Vij is MBBS and MD (Legal Medicine). He is also a Graduate in Law. He has been a teacher in Forensic Medicine for more than two decades. Dr Biswas is Master of Science in Zoology and PhD in Limnology. He did two years' postdoctoral research in the Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, USA. The book bears testimony to the knowledge and experience of the authors. It should be a good addition to the scientific field.
VK Bali
Judge
High Court of Punjab and Haryana
Chandigarh
5Preface
Scientists have longed for some universal identifier, some attribute entirely unique to each individual. In the past, fingerprints seemed to offer the answer. However, learning through experience, careful criminals started wearing gloves, or wiping out surfaces they might have touched at the scene. At last, the answer has been provided by the DNA technology. Identification through this technology has dramatically changed the scenario, especially in sexual offences, as the previous problems of blood-group and enzyme-typing caused by the admixture of semen and vaginal secretion can now be solved in many instances. Each of the 100 trillion or more cells in a human being is a living structure that can survive indefinitely, and, in most instances, can even reproduce itself. And each nucleated cell, whether it is from the skin, muscle, hair, bone, buccal epithelium or from any body-fluid; is enriched with DNA.
Keeping in view the present scenario, we felt an impending need to disseminate knowledge about this so-called ‘blue-print’ of life. The book is intended to carry basic aspects of DNA, right from its structure, collection, preservation and dispatch of the samples; to the problems concerned with admissibility of evidence. There has been no book, at least in India, with such a varied information under one roof.
We have tried to translate Science into English so that a layperson can gain insight into the various elementary concepts of the process and the related evidentiary issues. Sketches, line-drawings, simple flow-charts and tables have been given at appropriate places rendering easy understanding.
We hope that the book, apart from serving as a ‘Vade-mecum’ for the science students (because in the times to follow, such information will become a part and parcel of the allied educational spheres too), will go a long way in helping the medical personnels, investigative agencies and above all, the judiciary.
Krishan Vij
Rajesh Biswas
6Acknowledgments
No book is written without prior zeal and designing, this being no exception. This treatise is not intended to include voluminous contents but only basic concepts about DNA, the so-called ‘blue-print’ of life.
We think it invidious to name each and every individual who has been instrumental in arranging our knowledge and shaping the same into this book. Suffice it to say that the task could not have been accomplished without co-operation of the colleagues, both from within and out side the department.
We extend our deep gratitude to writers of various books, articles and to those disseminating information on the Internet.
Thanking family and friends, though traditional yet deserves specific mention. They might have experienced a degree of indifference in our attitude towards them during the course of this Herculean exercise and therefore, deserve applause for their forbearance.
We record our deep appreciation to Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd. who went a long way in ensuring impeccable quality of this book. They silently and stoically endured our insistence on various issues, including the furnishing of successive proofs for perusal and corrections/modifications.
Constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement are most welcome.