DNA evidence and the crisis of wrongful convictions in India: A Socio-legal critique of investigative and adjudicatory loopholes

The growing use of DNA evidence in India’s criminal justice system is often seen as a major step towards accuracy and scientific certainty. However, its increasing prominence has also revealed a troubling link with wrongful convictions. This paper critically examines how DNA evidence, when used without adequate safeguards, can contribute to miscarriages of justice rather than prevent them. Adopting a socio-legal approach, the study analyses both investigative and adjudicatory practices surrounding DNA evidence in India. It highlights persistent problems in the collection, preservation, and analysis of biological samples, as well as institutional weaknesses such as inadequate forensic infrastructure and limited professional training. At the adjudicatory stage, the paper draws attention to judicial overreliance on expert testimony and the tendency to treat DNA evidence as conclusive proof, often without sufficient scrutiny. The study also engages with the human rights implications of coercive DNA sampling, custodial practices, and the erosion of the “beyond reasonable doubt” standard. By placing forensic science within its social and legal context, the paper argues that DNA evidence should serve as a supporting tool rather than a decisive basis for conviction. It concludes by emphasizing the need for stronger procedural safeguards, greater judicial engagement with forensic limitations, and institutional reforms to ensure that scientific evidence strengthens, rather than undermines, the right to a fair trial in India.