Supreme Court’s Ruling on Narco Tests | India’s 1st Hydrogen Fuel Cell Passenger Vessel | Red-Shanked Douc Monkeys | Subansiri Lower Hydel Project | First Indigenous Diving Support Craft ‘DSC A20’

Supreme Court’s Ruling on Narco Tests

Syllabus: GS2/Governance; GS3/Science and Technology

In News

• The Supreme Court ruled that forced or involuntary narco tests are unconstitutional and invalid.

Narco Test

• It is a process of investigation during which it is expected that the accused, undergoing such a test, would express the concealed facts.
• In this test the accused is sedated by administering a certain class of substances. For example – Sodium Pentothal, to reduce a subject’s inhibitions and reasoning ability.
• It is a non-violent method similar to those called polygraphs or brain mapping.

Legality of Narco Test

• Selvi guidelines – SC ruled that any test conducted without free consent is unconstitutional and its results cannot be used as evidence.
• Article 20 – It protects against ex-post facto laws, double jeopardy, and self-incrimination.
• Article 21 – It also violates the Right to Privacy under
• Articles 14 and 19 – It safeguards personal liberty and democratic principles.
• Manoj Kumar Saini v. State of MP (2023) and Vinobhai v. State of Kerala (2025) – SC court held that narco test results alone do not prove guilt and must be corroborated with other evidence.

India’s 1st Hydrogen Fuel Cell Passenger Vessel

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

In News

• India launched its first fully indigenous hydrogen fuel cell passenger vessel at Varanasi, marking a major step in green maritime transport.

India’s 1st Hydrogen Fuel Cell Passenger Vessel

• Built by – Cochin Shipyard Ltd and owned by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
• Hydrogen fuel-cell systems based on Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology represent a key frontier in India’s clean energy and green mobility transition.
• A Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen without combustion, making it a clean and efficient power source.

Importance

• The launch supports India’s net-zero by 2070 target and aligns with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, promoting clean, sustainable waterways.
• The vessel offers noise-free, pollution-free travel, reduces road congestion, boosts tourism, and showcases fully indigenous green technology.

Red-Shanked Douc Monkeys

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

Context

• A passenger at the Kempegowda International Airport has been arrested for allegedly smuggling two Red-Shanked Doucs Monkeys.

Red-Shanked Douc Monkey(Pygathrix nemaeus)

• It is a highly colorful Old World monkey species, often called the “Queen of Primates”.
• Distribution: It is an arboreal, diurnal primate native to the forests of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
• Habitat – They live in the forest canopy in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests up to 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) in elevation.
• Appearance: They are known for their distinctive appearance including a gray body, maroon-red lower legs, white forearms and tail, and an orange-yellow face with light blue eyelids.
• Males are distinguished by white spots on their rump.
• IUCN Status: Critically Endangered.

Subansiri Lower Hydel Project

Syllabus: GS3/Infrastructure

Context

• The Environment Ministry has turned down a NHPC proposal to use assets located on forest land as collateral to raise funds for the Subansiri Lower hydel project.

Subansiri Lower hydel project.

• Location: On the Subansiri River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra.
• Situated at Gerukamukh on the Arunachal Pradesh–Assam border.
• Capacity & Type: It has a total installed capacity: 2,000 MW (8 × 250 MW).

Strategic Importance:

• Enhances clean energy generation in the Northeast.
• Strengthens grid stability and supports India’s renewable energy goals.

First Indigenous Diving Support Craft ‘DSC A20’

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

Context

• The Indian Navy is going to commission DSC A20, the first vessel of the indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Craft (DSC), at Kochi under the aegis of Southern Naval Command.

DSC A20

• It is one of five Diving Support Craft built by M/s Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), Kolkata.
• The ship offers superior stability, enhanced deck area, and improved seakeeping characteristics, and has a displacement of approximately 390 ton
• With its induction, the Indian Navy’s capability in diving support, underwater inspection, salvage assistance, and coastal operational deployment will be substantially strengthened.