Drugs used by Indian police and intelligence for questioning suspects were declared illegal by India’s Supreme Court on Wednesday.
According to the court, the “truth drugs,” which supposedly makes it more difficult for the suspect to lie, are a violation of personal liberty.
The case came to light after petitions were filed questioning the validity of the tests.
While the verdict was hailed by the lawyers of petitioners opposing the use of the techniques, a former top police official described it as a “major setback for law enforcement agencies.”
“These techniques are used the world over,” Maxwell Pereira told AFP.
While the tests, in which sodium penthanol is injected, has never been admissible in court as evidence, Indian police used it to gain information on cases, according to the BBC.
According to the court, the “truth drugs,” which supposedly makes it more difficult for the suspect to lie, are a violation of personal liberty.
The case came to light after petitions were filed questioning the validity of the tests.
While the verdict was hailed by the lawyers of petitioners opposing the use of the techniques, a former top police official described it as a “major setback for law enforcement agencies.”
“These techniques are used the world over,” Maxwell Pereira told AFP.
While the tests, in which sodium penthanol is injected, has never been admissible in court as evidence, Indian police used it to gain information on cases, according to the BBC.
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