Vaginal swabs collected during medicolegal examination of an alleged rape victim show numerous actively motile spermatozoa. This finding indicates that intercourse occurred within approximately the preceding:
- A 6 hours
- B 72 hours
- C 24 hours ✓
- D 7 days
Correct answer: C. 24 hours
Explanation
According to standard Indian forensic practice, spermatozoa retain motility in the vagina for roughly 12 to 24 hours after ejaculation, so motile sperm point to intercourse within about a day. Non-motile spermatozoa may persist in the vagina for up to about 3 days and in the cervix for around 7 days, which is why the 72-hour and 7-day options correspond to non-motile sperm in different sites. Six hours is far shorter than the documented survival of motile sperm.
Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, K.S. Narayan Reddy, 34th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.