Kolkata Court Denies CBI Permission for Narco Test on RG Kar Accused Sanjoy Roy

A Kolkata court on Friday dismissed the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) request to perform a narco-analysis test on Sanjay Roy, the main suspect in the rape and murder case of a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Roy refused to give his consent for the test to the judge at the Sealdah Court.

The CBI had requested for a narco test to verify Roy's statements on the case as it is believed that subjects under the influence of the drug are less likely to lie.

The narco-analysis test, which involves administering sodium pentothal to induce a hypnotic state, is used to extract information from subjects. However, according to a 2010 Supreme Court ruling, such tests can only be conducted with the accused’s voluntary consent. While these tests can be legally valid, their admissibility in court is limited and depends on the context of their administration.

Sanjay Roy, who was detained on August 10 after the discovery of the doctor’s body, is currently held at Presidency Jail in Kolkata. The case was transferred to the CBI on August 13 following an order from the Calcutta High Court.

Last week, the court extended his judicial custody until September 20. On Thursday, the CBI collected dental impressions and saliva samples from Roy, which will be analyzed for comparisons with bite marks found on the victim's body. The Central Forensic Science Laboratory is assisting with this investigation. Previously, a polygraph test was carried out on him.