The Beena case illustrates one of the most important applications of forensic DNA: identification of unknown or severely compromised human remains. When a body is decomposed, burned, mutilated or dismembered, conventional methods such as facial recognition, fingerprints or visual identification may no longer be available. In such circumstances, biological material preserved within bones can become an important source of genetic information.
Investigators examined the recovered skeletal material and sought to determine whether it belonged to Beena. DNA analysis of the biological material was compared with reference samples obtained from her parents. Because children inherit genetic characteristics from their biological parents, a parent-child relationship can be evaluated through genetic markers. The comparison supported the conclusion that the recovered remains were associated with Beena.
The case also illustrates the challenges involved in early forensic DNA litigation in India. Questions concerning the quantity and quality of DNA, the methodology used and the reliability of the evidence became relevant to subsequent judicial consideration. Modern reviews of Indian DNA jurisprudence identify the Beena litigation as an important early example of the difficulties courts faced while evaluating emerging DNA technology