DNA testing mandatory in all rape cases,says court

“It has therefore become necessary for investigating agencies and also for the State to ensure that in cases of sexual assault,particularly those involving gangrape,or where the identity of the accused is not known to the victim,or where the victim is a child,DNA profiling is made mandatory. I am hopeful that with due intervention of senior officers of State and Police,the existing scientific technology shall be put to its best utilisation,so as to ensure that the guilty are not let off and the innocent do not suffer,” Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau said.

The court’s observations were made while sentencing Mukesh,Prabhans Yadav,Deepak,Ravinder Kumar and Rajeev,who were held guilty of kidnapping and raping a minor. The incident had occurred in March last year when the victim,aged 16-17,had come to visit her mother’s family in Jahangirpuri.

ASJ Lau imposed a fine of Rs 27,000 on each of the five convicts,and directed the government to give the victim a compensation of Rs 1 lakh.