Evidentiary Value of DNA Profiling and Strict Standards of Circumstantial Evidence in Capital Cases

sketch of the Bombay High Court
Case
THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA v. DEBASHISH NANDLAL DHARA AND ANR (Bombay High Court, 07-09-2026)
Law
Code of Criminal Procedure, Constitution of India, Indian Evidence Act, Indian Penal Code.

Highlights of the Judgment:

  • Critical evaluation of the evidentiary value and probative weight of DNA profiling in criminal trials.
  • Strict legal requirements regarding the maintenance of the chain of custody for forensic and biological samples.
  • Application of the classic five golden principles governing cases based entirely on circumstantial evidence.
  • Interpretation of Section 53 of the Indian Evidence Act regarding the admissibility and relevance of character evidence.
  • Reiteration of the fundamental principle that suspicion, no matter how strong, cannot take the place of legal proof.