[ Toko Rich ]
The science beyond the obvious
In most criminal investigations, the postmortem report (autopsy report) is considered conclusive for determining the cause of death. It provides details on visible injuries, internal damage, and bodily changes. Yet, understanding the true cause and manner of death often requires deeper scientific examination.
A postmortem might conclude ‘death by electrocution’ or ‘death by drowning’, but without expert analysis, important details can be missed.
The limits of a postmortem report
A traditional autopsy looks at visible and internal injuries to find the cause of death. But to understand how and why someone died, whether it was natural, accidental, suicide, or murder, scientific analysis is often needed.
Consider a man found dead near an electric water pump, and the initial postmortem declared him dead due to electrocution. However, further forensic analysis revealed that the burns were thermal, caused by external heat rather than electrical current passing through tissue. Examination of heart tissue also showed no signs of electric conduction.
These findings ruled out foul play, confirming the death was accidental rather than homicidal.
Such cases show us why forensic science complements medical examination, by verifying conclusions through laboratory evidence and ensuring that findings rest on scientific proof, not assumptions.
Study of diatoms in drowning cases
In drowning cases, diatom analysis often becomes the deciding factor. Diatoms are microscopic unicellular algae with silica shells found in all natural water bodies. Each river, pond, or lake has its own unique mix of species. Think of these algae as forensic barcodes; in forensic it is also said to be a biological fingerprint, each one distinct to its water body.
When a person inhales water while alive, these diatoms enter the lungs and travel through the bloodstream to internal organs such as the brain, kidneys, and bone marrow. By comparing diatoms found in the body with those in the suspected water source, forensic experts can determine whether drowning occurred before or after death.
In one northern Indian case, a postmortem stated death due to drowning. However, forensic examination revealed inconsistencies, no diatoms were found in the internal organs, and those present in the lungs did not match the nearby water body. This contradiction exposed that the victim had died elsewhere and was later disposed of in water, converting a presumed accident into a suspected homicide.
Here, science became the voice of truth, when even water testified.
The role of Indian Evidence Act and scientific development
For more than a century, Indian courts relied on the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, a historic law drafted long before DNA profiling, diatom analysis, cyber forensics, or digital trails existed. Now, the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 has replaced it, taking effect on 1 July, 2024, alongside the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
The new law formally acknowledges forensic, electronic, and digital evidence as admissible in court. Expert testimony, authenticated forensic reports, and validated electronic data now receive stronger legal recognition, marking a major step towards bridging science and law.
The use of hash value verification plays a vital role in cyber forensic investigations. A hash value is a unique digital code generated from a file using mathematical algorithms. Even the slightest change to the file, a single character or pixel, alters its hash value. This helps investigators confirm that electronic evidence has not been tampered with, ensuring its authenticity in court.
This legal reform sends a clear message: justice must be built not on perception, but on verifiable scientific truth.
A glimpse into cyber forensics
In today’s world, not all crimes leave fingerprints; many leave data trails. Cyber forensics, the branch of forensic science that investigates digital devices and networks, has become an indispensable tool for modern justice.
In one investigation, a suicide note circulated online was later proven to be fake. Forensic experts recovered deleted chats and analyzed metadata, hidden information showing when and how files were created, modified, and shared. The analysis revealed that the note had been forged and sent from a spoofed account.
This discovery not only protected a grieving family from public stigma but also demonstrated the growing power of digital evidence in revealing the truth.
In the age of bytes and bandwidth, even servers can become silent witnesses.
Science as the final witness
Every trace of forensic evidence, whether a fibre, a diatom under a microscope, or a line of code in a digital log, has a story to tell. Together, they form the bridge connecting science, technology, and law, ensuring that justice stands on solid ground.
Just as gravity, a universal force, applies everywhere equally without bias, forensic science anchors justice to the truth. It does not bend to pressure or opinion. It neither bends to pressure nor sways to perception; it simply follows the evidence and proof.
Forensics science connects the visible to the invisible, firmly anchoring justice in truth.
Author’s note
This article is written with the intent to raise awareness among citizens, students, legal practitioners, and investigators about the indispensable role of forensic science in strengthening judicial processes, solving criminal cases, preventing wrongful convictions, and ensuring justice through scientific evidence. (The contributor is a postgraduate in forensic science, and specializes in cyber forensics)
