Fudged autopsy report prompts court to recommend videography
The doctor who conducted the autopsy of the victim said the death was unnatural or homicidal when she had died of natural causes.
3 min read
In 2012,police booked three of a family for breaking into a house in Jahangirpuri,killing a woman there and outraging the modesty of her daughter-in-law. But the villain in the case turned out to be the doctor who conducted the autopsy of the victim. The doctor said that the death was unnatural/homicidal,thus landing the trio in jail.
On Monday,a city court ruled that the doctors conduct was criminal since he had given an incorrect report and the woman had,in fact,died of natural causes. It further asked the Delhi government to take steps for videography and photography of post-mortem examination proceedings.
This is highly criminal and cannot be taken as an innocent mistake… if the autopsy surgeon gives the cause of death which is incorrect,then it is a serious issue for the fate of citizens cannot be left in the hands of such persons, Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau remarked on the error by the autopsy surgeon,Dr Sudesh.
The misconduct of Dr Sudesh was discovered when his findings were not consistent with those given by other doctors. A medical committee was constituted to look into the matter. But Judge Lau observed that Dr Suresh Seth who was the then Deputy Medical Superintendent of Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital,had put pressure on the committee into giving a vague report on the pretext of saving the so-called reputation of the hospital.
Was the reputation of the hospital more important than life and liberty of a person, Judge Lau asked while placing the conduct of the duo before the Delhi government and Directorate of Health Services for appropriate action.
She directed the Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) and Directorate of Health Services to ensure that doctors who had exposed the faulty autopsy in the case are not put to any kind of harassment by the hospital authorities.
Having noticed all that has transpired in the present case,it is necessary that steps are taken by the GNCT of Delhi to plug this mischief… videography and photography of the entire post-mortem examination proceedings would go a long way in bringing about transparency and ruling out any possibility of foul play …, Judge Lau said.
The accused in the case a woman and her son and daughterwere acquitted of the murder charge. The mother and daughter were released by the court on probation. The son was sentenced to two years of imprisonment on charges of trespass,causing hurt and assault with intention to outrage modesty.
You May Like
Photos
