DNA tests for corruption return positive in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: In the first instance of DNA tests done to prove corruption, saliva tests by the FSL returned positive in corruption cases filed by the anti-corruption bureau against a veterinary doctor and an agricultural scientist.

In the two separate cases, government officials tried to swallow Rs 2,000 notes that they had accepted as bribes when confronted by ACB officials who had laid traps. To make the cases watertight, ACB took saliva samples of the accused and matched their DNA to the saliva on the notes.

The vet, Mahendrasinh Chauhan of Siddhpur, and the range forest officer, Chandrakant Joshi of Dantiwada in Banskantha, were caught accepting bribes in March and May, respectively.

“The forensic tests proved that the two officials had tried to swallow the notes. Saliva on the currency notes and samples taken from their mouths matched,” said an official of Gujarat Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).

A senior ACB official said this is the first case in the country, where corruption has been proved with a DNA test. “We focussing more on FSL tests, to substantiate cases of corruption and we hence sent the notes and saliva samples for tests, which returned positive,” said an official.

Bribe for fitness certificate of buffaloesACB had caught Mahendrasinh Chauhan, 46, a class II veterinary doctor based in Siddhpur, accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000 on March 15, in exchange for providing fitness certificates to four buffaloes. The certificates were needed for a livestock purchase loan from a bank. When a Patan ACB team burst forward, Chauhan realized he was being trapped. He quickly put the note in his mouth and tried to chew it to destroy the evidence. The officials somehow managed to recover the note.

RFO tried to swallow Rs 12,000The range forest officer of Dantiwada, Chandrakant Joshi, was accused of demanding a Rs 12,000 bribe to allow a transporter to transport wood. When ACB officials sprung the trap, he put the six Rs 2,000 notes in his mouth and tried to swallow them. Here too, ACB officials recovered the notes from his mouth. Officials also seized Rs 13.75 lakh from his house during a search at the time.