SIT wants Telgi to undergo lie detector test

The Special Investigation probing the multicrore fake stamp paper scam is charting new territories in probe methods.

The S S Puri led crack team has requested a Pune special court for permission to put prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi through a series of scientific tests -- P300 brain fingerprinting, narcoanalysis test and lie detector test.

The SIT wants the other eight accused to pass through these tests. 

The SIT has also urged the court to allow them obtain voice samples of Telgi, his brother Azim, Police Inspector Dattatraya Dal, Telgi's lawyer Rashid Kulkarni, Assistant Police Inspector Dilip Kamath, legislator Anil Gote and Manoj Mehta.

The accused had spoken to Telgi over telephone and the Karnataka government had recorded the conversations.

Scientific Methods of Investigation P 3OO/Brain Fingerprinting: Words, pictures and sounds related to a crime are shown to the accused in a series along with irrelevant words, pictures and sounds. A suspect's response to these stimuli are measured using a special headband equipped with EEG sensors that measure the responses of the brain. A specific measurable brain response, known as 'P300', is emitted by the suspect's brain when he sees anything associated with the crime. Narcoanalysis Test: The suspect is administered some drugs to reveal the truth. The drugs usually used are sodium amytal or sodium pentothal. Some doctors also call these drugs placebo drugs as they induce the person who is administered these drugs to speak freely. Lie Detector Test: Also called the polygraph test it compares physiological responses (breathing, blood pressure, heart, and perspiration rates) to general questions and to those specifically related to a crime. If the former reactions are greater, the examinee passes; if the latter are greater, he fails. If responses to both are about the same, the result is deemed inconclusive.

Their voice samples would be obtained to compare them with the ones figuring in the recorded telephonic talks, Prosecutors Raja Thakre and A Chimalkar told PTI.

The court has given notices to the accused to seek their reply and deferred till December nine the hearing of SIT plea to conduct tests and obtain voice samples.

In a related development, Karnataka government is considering the plea of Maharashtra government to hand over the custody of Telgi who is languishing in Bangalore Jail, SIT sources said.

According to the SIT they have in their possession cassettes of 1300 telephonic talks between Telgi and others, which reveal sensitive information including bribe paid to policemen to hush up cases.

The talks were recorded when Telgi was in Bangalore Jail. Telgi had managed to smuggle a cell phone inside the jail and used it to communicate with various persons about his business and personal matters, SIT sources said.

The SIT had already conducted P300 brain fingerprinting test on two persons and the results were awaited. These two persons apparently had knowledge about Telgi's activities but they have not been implicated as accused nor made witnesses in the case.

A decision on their status would be taken at an appropriate stage, the sources said.