Recording of Veterolegal Evidences
The Recording of Veterolegal Evidences is recorded as examination in chief, cross examination, re-examination, examination of blood stains and tissues available at the site.
Veterolegal cases involve legal matters related to animals.
Examination in Chief
Examination in Chief is the first examination of a witness the party which calls him.
In Government prosecution cases, the prosecuting inspector as a rule, first examines the witness to elicit the principal facts concerning the case.
If the witness is summoned by a private party, he is first examined by the pleader of that party. Leading questions are not allowed. (Eg.) If a person x strike or with a stick.
The proper forms of the question in a case of an assault are:
- When did this incident occur?
- Where were you at that time?
- What did you notice?
In that case the witness will narrate the whole incident of a person ‘x’ stricking ‘y’ as he saw it.
Cross Examination
Cross Examination may be regarded as the most reliable procedure of testing the value of an evidence and is held by counsel for the accused who tries to elicit facts (or) demonstrate the possibility of theories, not necessarily inconsistent with the evidence the witness has given, but helpful to his own case.
Leading questions are permissible and witness should be very cautions in answering them.
He should not attempt to answer the questions unless he clearly and completely understands them. There is no time limit to cross examination.
Re-examination
The prosecuting Inspector or counsel who conducts the examination inchief has the right to re-examine the witness to explain away any discrepancies that may have occurred during cross examination.
The witness should not introduce any new subject without the consent of the judge or opposing counsel lest he should become liable to cross examination on the new point thus introduced.
Question put by the Judge, Juror or Assessor
The Judge, Juror or Assessor may question the witness at any stage to clear up doubtful points.
Forensic and State Medicine Laws
Application of basic science of judiciary and foretell on the grounds of scientific knowledge to detect
crime and responsibility for the damage.
It is a special discipline of veterinary procedural steps.
Examination of Blood-Stains
Examination of blood-stains is of great importance for vetero-Iegal purposes. The blood-stains are examined to ascertain whether or not they consist blood; if so, to what species of animal the blood belongs, whether mammal, bird, fish or reptile.
The examination of all kinds of stains is done by the Chemical Examiner. Before removing stains for
analysis, a note should be made indicating exactly where they were found and their relative position.
Stains from persons and animals are best removed with a piece of filter paper soaked in normal saline solution.
The paper is left in contact until it is coloured, then removed and dried. In case of garments and weapons, the articles should be allowed to dry, then carefully and separately wrapped and packed without unnecessary handling.
Liquid stains are taken in dry tests tubes with the help of dropper or pipette and the test tube is sealed. The test tube is placed on a cracked- ice container. Moist stains are completely dried and handled as dry stains.
Removable stained objects must be sent to the laboratory. Blood-soaked soil is taken up completely and is sent in a glass container. If stains lie on non-removable objects, such as wall and floors, are representative section which contains the stain, is removed by digging out and sent in a container.
In exceptional cases stains can be scrapped up by a knife. The examination of blood-stains may be carried out by the following methods:
- Physical examination
- Chemical examination
- Microscopic examination
- Spectroscopic examination
- Serological examination
