HYDERABAD: An inquiry into possible mishandling of DNA samples of nine-year-old housemaid, Fatima Furiro, and her possible tormentors has blamed one of the technical assistants on the special medical board that conducted exhumation of the victim for `overstepping` her authority by `insisting` on shifting the samples from Jamshoro to Karachi, thus jeopardising their `integrity`.

Fatima Furiro was found dead in mysterious circumstances in the mansion of a `pir` in Ranipur, Khairpur district, on Aug 14, causing massive outcry across the province. A few days afterwards, her mother Ms Shabnam lodged a murder case against Asad Shah, his wife and father-in-law.

The committee, formed by caretaker health minister Dr Saad Niaz, has recommended to health department to be `cautious` before offering any responsibility to Dr Summaiya in future as her involvement in retrieval of samples had caused concern among stakeholdersand led to their `mishandling`.

One of the committee members, Dr Kishwar Inam, however, said in a dissenting note `it is not mandate of the inquiry team to advise or comment on future career path of the doctor`.

The committee headed by Dr Waheed Ali Nahiyo is said to have submitted its report, according to sources. Dr Saad had ordered inquiry into possible `mishandling` of DNA samples following reports of abrupt retrieval of the samples from Forensic Molecular Biology Laboratory for DNA Testing in LUMHS.

The committee focused on `samples` retrieval` before completion of analysis at LUMHS laboratory and framed three questions, a) reason of retrieving samples? b) who took the sample retrieval decision? c) Is the retrieval of sample in accordance with SOPs in practice? In answer to the first question, the committee said `the reason cited for shifting of samples to the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) in Karachi University was its `advanced technology`. But when the ICCBS and the LUMHS`s laboratories were compared it was found that analysis in both the labs was done by genetic analyzer of the same specification, it said.

It learnt that while the ICCBS was working without a highly qualified molecular biologist and forensic expert, LUMHS lab had aPhD holder molecular biologist and well experienced technologists in forensic medicine and molecular biology.

`No proof of ISO certification was given by ICCBS,` said the report. So, the argument of `advanced technology` at ICCBS was not satisfactory for the retrieval of samples, it said.

About the second query, it noted Dr Summaiya Syed (a technical assistant on the medical board) had written a letter to secretary health on Aug 21, mentioning that the DNA samples collected during the victim`s exhumation for post mortem had not been submitted to the ICCBS despite repeated instructions from the board members.

The medical board`s chairman Dr Ageel Ahmed Qureshi conceded that he requested Khairpur SSP for samples` retrieval on DG health`s verbal directives in response to Dr Summaiya`s letter.

The committee said that all board members relied to a query why the Aug 19 letter addressed to ICCBS lacked signature of judicial magistrate and police investigating officer that one letter with the same number was drafted before the magistrate when the samples were sent to LUMHS while the other letter with the same number was written when the samples were retrieved.

Dr Summaiya did not raise objection before the magistrate when the letter was drafted for analysis at LUMHS. The chairman said in his letter all the team membersagreed to send samples to ICCBS due to advanced technology but, as the inquiry team noted, `no written proof` of members being informed or `consenting to it` was provided to the committee.

No prior permission was sought from the magistrate nor was briefing made about the opening of samples` seals in LUMHS and were retrieved before completion of the analysis. Thus, the committee noted, answer to its question `b` was that the `samples were retrieved by higher authorities on irrelevant involvement of Dr Summaiya`.

Conclusion The committee concluded that no dissent was shown at first by the member or technical assistants for the dispatch of samples to LUMHS. The samples should have been processed when they were sent for analysis, it said.

The chairman failed to show `consensus of members for sending samples to the ICCBS.

No briefing was held about samples` seal being broken at LUMHS before sending them to ICCBS which was violation of the magistrate`s directive`.

Khairpur SSP should have held a meeting with the board members before seeking return of the samples. LUMHS laboratory should also have educated authorities over risks involved in return of the samples, possi-ble disturbance of `specimen integrity` and potential impact on results. Those involved shared burden for the return of untested, opened and resealed samples, it said.

`Dr Summaiya overstepped her authority by insisting on return of the samples as it wasn`t her prerogative. Her actions including writing letters had initiated a sequence of disturbances for those involved including board members, police and laboratories, said the report. The ICCBS should also have issued directives to police to call more suspects for DNA matching but in vain.

Recommendations The committee said that LUMHS must complete the DNA process. Health department should be `cautious`before offering any higher responsibility to Dr Summaiya in future as her negligent act of irrelevant involvement in the retrieval of samples had caused concern among stakeholders and led to `mishandling` of the samples. The department must adopt a special monitoring system of public sector laboratories for forensic DNA analysis.

Police and additional surgeons must be graduates in forensic medicine at district level. When contacted for comments, Dr Summaiya said she must be provided a copy of the inquiry report before she made any comment.