Gujarat High Court Asks Police To Explain Marks Found On Minor Labourer's Body In Alleged Rape-Death Case

The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday (January 13) asked the police to clarify on the aspect of certain injuries/marks found on the body of a deceased minor girl in the post mortem, whose father has sought an independent probe into her alleged rape and death after she had moved to Gujarat to work as a labourer.

In the previous hearing on January 6 the State's counsel had informed that certain persons have been subjected to Layered Voice Analysis and Suspect Detection System tests and that the reports were awaited. Further the cause of death was also likely to be received within short period; therefore the court had listed the matter today.

After hearing the matter for some time, Justice MR Mengdey in his order dictated, "Pursuant to order dated 6 January learned APP has produced report of Investigating Officer. However it appears that some more clarification would be required on the aspect of the matter under column 8 of Post Mortem note and 14 of the Post Mortem. Stand Over to January 21".

During the hearing today the Counsel for the State submitted that the Report from the panel of doctors who conducted forensic post mortem, had stated that no opinion can be given on cause of death, however circumstantial evidence should be considered.

Meanwhile the counsel for the petitioner argued that the deceased's T-shirt was bloodstained, underwear was bloodstained and both hands looked blackish.

The court then orally said, "Two things, first there has to be medical opinion as regards you have mentioned in column no. 14 of Post Mortem–reddish greenish marbling over both forearm, over back of body, over face. What is the medical reasons for this? And second thing is the person to whom she was taken for some witchcraft he also needs to be investigated".

The State's counsel said that this person was also under surveillance of the police and he was kept as a suspect-accused. The counsel further said that it will ask the doctors specific questions regarding the injuries mentioned in the column.