TIRUNELVELI/THOOTHUKUDI: The judgment of the I Additional District and Sessions Judge in Thoothukudi, sentencing nine police personnel to life imprisonment, revealed that a government doctor, appearing as a defence witness (DW) in favour of the convicts, attempted to establish that the custodial death victim, who had no habit of taking liquor, died only due to consuming a large quantum of alcohol.
Dr Sridharan (DW2) of Forensic department at Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH) went on to say that the 38 injuries, found on the body of the victim, Vincent, could have been caused when he fell from a bullock cart during a race as claimed by the accused, according to the judgment delivered on Saturday. He also attempted to project a case as if Vincent died of a heart ailment.
However, Judge M Thandavan rejected his claims.
During cross-examination, Sridharan said he had attended an inquiry by the Additional Director of Medical Education and Research (ADME) into an allegation that he had prepared a postmortem report in a forged manner.
Quoting this, the judge said, “A careful perusal of the above evidence of the DW2 reveals that the DW2 was subjected to departmental inquiries as if there was dereliction of duty on the part of the DW2 while in his duty. Hence, the credit of the DW2 has been impeached by the prosecution during cross examination.
It cannot be said that the DW2 is projecting a false medical theory before the court just because the DW2 was subjected to departmental inquiries. But the opinion by the DW2 that the said Vincent did not die due to the injuries and he died only due to consuming a large quantum of alcohol in spite of the fact that the said Vincent had no habit of taking liquor coupled with the departmental inquiry creates a suspicion regarding the trustworthiness of the DW2.”
A few months ago, Dr Sridharan was transferred to Virudhunagar Medical College Hospital. When contacted by TNIE, ADME Dr K Santharaman said he would soon submit the final report of the departmental enquiries against Sridharan to his higher officials.