This paper analyses circumstantial evidence concerning its definition, history, classification, principles, and its ability to be accepted. Noteworthy aspects encompass the “Last Scene Theory” and instances where evidence alone has sufficed to validate conviction. Remaining portions of the study look into the scope of forensic evidence and its various subdivisions, its development over time. Furthermore, the study analyses how forensics affects the outcomes of more advanced crimes such as sexual crimes, cybercrimes, and homicides. The study emphasizes the legislative framework governing the use of forensic and circumstantial evidence in India. Another core focus of the study is the doctrinal scrutiny centering forensic evidence, how courts use forensic evidence as links in a circumstantial chain, analyse their compositions, and link them to a given context. Other regions were also consulted to provide a third eye view of how similar evidence issues are treated in evidentiary law. The research relies on practical examples to illustrate how courts approach the use of forensic evidence within circumstantial frameworks. The study concludes with the evaluation of how these interpretations apply toward the achievement of justice while mapping the emerging trends, which have been identified as gaps, such as becoming overly reliant on scientific evidence. It proposes remedial measures to seamlessly integrate forensic science with legal requirements, fostering a more prudent and restrained approach to judicial discretion.
Mallick et al. (Tue,) studied this question.