Videograph autopsy of custodial death victim in Kovai GH, says HC
The counsel of the petitioner submitted that the Chennimalai police apprehended the deceased in a criminal case and kept him under illegal custody
Madras High Court (File)
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court (MHC) has directed the Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital to perform postmortem of the body of an accused, who died in police custody, in the presence of the Dean and directed the police to fairly investigate the alleged custodial death as per the guidelines set by the court.
Petitioner M Mariappan, brother of Balakrishnan (deceased accused) moved the HC seeking to direct the police to fairly investigate the suspicious death of his brother and objected to postmortem done at the Perundurai government hospital.
The case was listed before Justice N Anand Venkatesh.
The counsel of the petitioner submitted that the Chennimalai police apprehended the deceased in a criminal case and kept him under illegal custody. Further, it was alleged that the police personnel brutally attacked the deceased, which resulted in his death. The counsel also submitted some photographs of the deceased to establish the physical torture done by the police.
Further, the police are taking steps to cover their brutal act and to destroy the evidence, said the counsel. It was also submitted that the police are trying to conduct the postmortem in a hasty manner to cover up the crime.
The Superintendent of Police (SP), Erode, filed a status report states that the deceased was not subjected to any physical and mental torture. It was further stated that, as the deceased was addicted to alcohol his health was in a deteriorated condition and submitted the medical report of the deceased. Hence, it was a natural death and it is not a medico - legal case, said the SP.
After all the submission the judge directed to shift the deceased body immediately from the Perundurai government hospital to Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital. The court directed to perform postmortem of the body in the presence of Coimbatore government hospital Dean and directed to videograph it.
Further, the judge directed the SP to secure the CCTV footage and fairly investigate the matter as per the guidelines set by the court and disposed of the petition.