V.R.Rathod
Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratories, India
Title: Forensic evidence – Cigarette Butt helped to nail accused
Biography
Biography: V.R.Rathod
Abstract
A forensic analyst routinely encounters a variety of challenging biological as well as forensic evidential samples for analysis. Many of these samples are exposed to environmental insults; hence extracting DNA from these samples is a challenge in itself. In one murder case this laboratory received cigarette butts as the only evidential sample found at the crime scene. The isolation of DNA from control cigarette butts was carried out by using different extraction methods, with varying time of exposure of the samples. DNA was quantified by Real Time PCR (RT-PCR). After the standardization of extraction method from cigarette butts, the method was applied for the case work. DNA was quantified using Quantifiler TM Kit. Amplifiable DNA was used for further processing i.e. PCR amplification and genotyping. DNA from accused blood sample was extracted using Himedia Blood Genomic DNA Extraction Kit. DNA profile generated by the cigarette butt sample was then compared with the reference sample. In the present study it was observed that saliva degrades at the lapse of time and thus the quality and quantity of DNA obtained gets affected. Besides this, depending on the habbit of holding cigarettes in the mouth, the quality and quantity of DNA gets affected.
