Emphasising that the father of a deceased girl should have subjective satisfaction on the factum of his daughter’s death, the Madras High Court on Thursday ordered a fresh post-mortem examination on Saranya’s body — one of the three girl students of SVS Medical College of Yoga and Naturopathy who allegedly committed suicide.
Allowing an appeal moved by Elumalai, father of Saranya, a Division Bench of Justices Satish K. Agnihotri and M. Venugopal said, “This court is of the view that no serious prejudice will be caused to anyone by ordering fresh autopsy.”
On Tuesday, a single judge had dismissed the plea of Mr. Elumalai seeking a second post-mortem examination observing that unless the petitioner proved that there was a defect in conducting the earlier post-mortem examination or a procedural violation, a plea for a fresh autopsy cannot be entertained.
Assailing the order, Mr. Elumalai moved an appeal before the Division Bench. When the appeal came up for hearing, the Bench directed that the body of the appellant’s daughter be exhumed and brought to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai.
“A team of doctors from the hospital shall conduct the examination as per the directions of the Dean of the hospital in the presence of P. Sampath Kumar, Head of Department, Forensic Medicine, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, and submit a report to the investigating agency within two days,” the judges said.
If the body is not in a condition to be brought to Chennai, the team shall go to the place of burial and conduct a fresh autopsy, the Bench said.
