HC orders magisterial probe into death of Martin’s aide

A division bench comprising Justice C V Karthikeyan and Justice Krishnan Ramasamy, who had sought for a specific report pertaining to injuries present on Palanisamy’s body being either ante-mortem or post-mortem, directed the Coimbatore District Sessions judge to appoint a Magistrate to hold the probe as the petitioner has raised suspicion over his father’s death.

The direction was based on the submission by the doctors who conducted the post-mortem that there existed scope for injuries to occur in the event of death from drowning.

The bench also held that in the event of the Magistrate suspecting foul play in Palanisamy’s death, a post-mortem can be ordered again. In such a case, a government doctor should be allowed to be present on behalf of the petitioner, the bench said, while directing the police to allow Palanisamy’s family members to view his body.

However, accounting for the submission from the Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) that the habeas corpus petition moved by the victim’s son had not raised any suspicion-either against the police or the doctors who had performed the autopsy-the bench ruled out the need for handing over the probe to the CB-CID.

Earlier, the APP had submitted that the post-mortem on Palanisamy’s body was performed by six doctors in the presence of the RDO and the case was also transferred from the Karamadai police to the district Crime Branch.

Moreover, based on the allegation that the I-T officials who conducted the raid had abused by his caste name, a case has been registered.

Palanisamy’s son Rohin Kumar in his habeas corpus petition had alleged that his father was kept in illegal custody by I-T officials on April 30 and tortured until May 2. On May 3, his father reportedly left to office, but was instead found dead.