Ex-DIG Paraskar withdraws consent to undergo layered voice analysis

Mumbai: Suspended Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Sunil Paraskar has withdrawn his consent to undergo a Layered Voice Analysis (LVA), a development that may slow down the pace of investigation into the alleged rape and molestation case against him, police said today. Last month, Mumbai Police Crime Branch had sought his approval to subject him to an LVA test for which Paraskar had expressed his readiness. Before agreeing to the LVA test, he had declined to undergo a lie-detector test, citing that a bypass surgery had been performed on him and it would require him to discontinue his medication. [caption id=“attachment_1682147” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  DIG Sunil Paraskar. Image courtesy: IBNLive[/caption] The LVA test on Paraskar, which was scheduled on last Monday, could not be carried out since the suspended DIG refused to undergo the test, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Dhananjay Kulkarni, adding that, “This time also, he cited health reasons”. An LVA test enables to understand a subject’s mental state and emotional condition by detecting emotional content of the subject’s speech while responding to various sets of questions. It helps investigators explore several levels of conscious and unconscious emotional states and thus exposes additional layers of information that is otherwise unavailable. It enables investigators to check if the subject is telling the truth. Citing reasons for his refusal to take the LVA test, Paraskar told investigators that he was under the impression that an LVA test would mean only collection of voice samples, the police said. However, it came to light that LVA test involved the same procedure as a lie-detector and polygraph test, both of which he had already refused, the police said, quoting Paraskar. The IPS officer was booked by the Malwani police in July this year for alleged rape and molestation of a model, when he was Additional Commissioner of Police (North Region) in 2013. The case was subsequently transferred to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch. Paraskar was suspended by the Maharashtra state government on August 27. PTI