‘Preserve body till further order’

The order was passed following a petition filed by the family of Maya,who was allegedly murdered but her death was projected as suicide. Maya’s aunt,Manju,and minor sister,Monica,sought court’s permission to get a second postmortem done. The petitioners have alleged that the UT police connived with three persons to project the ‘murder’ as suicide. The court today issued notices to the UT Home Secretary,Senior Superintendent of Police and the investigating officer to file their replies by August 6.

The petitioners have alleged that the Chandigarh Police conducted investigation of the case in a hasty manner and hushed up the facts. The complaint holds Father Sebastian Gose of Don Bosco Navjeevan Church,Sector 24; his niece,Mercy Sebastian,and Mercy’s son,Anup,responsible for the alleged murder.

Advocate Madhu P Singh,counsel for the petitioners,today vehemently argued that the first postmortem conducted by the Chandigarh Police cannot be relied upon. Elaborating the sequence of events,she told the court that Maya died on July 24; the postmortem was conducted the same day,and the report mentioned ‘death due to hanging’ as cause of death. It had also stated that the uterus was removed for pathological examination,the report of which is awaited.

Crying foul,the petitioners approached the UT police,alleging that Maya was murdered and had not committed suicide. It was only on July 27 that the police booked Mercy Sebastian on charges of abetting suicide and a criminal case was registered against her. According to the FIR,Mercy scolded Maya when she learnt that her son Anup had proposed her marriage. Mercy was arrested by the police after the registration of FIR and produced in the local court,which remanded her in judicial custody.

The case

Maya had come to live with her aunt,Manju,in Chandigarh along with her sister,Monica. The petitioners allege that on Manju’s request,Father Sebastian Gose agreed to keep both Maya and Monica as domestic helps in the church. Anup,Mercy Sebastian’s son,who used to manage the church,developed a liking for Maya and purportedly proposed marriage to her. “Maya objected to this and informed Manju about it. On July 23,Manju brought this to the knowledge of Father Sebastian and requested release of the two girls. On July 24,Father Sebastian asked Monica,who used to sleep with Maya,to sleep in a separate room. Around 6.30 am,Monica was told that Maya had committed suicide,” said Madhu P Singh.