Doctor accused of removing skull during autopsy moves HC

New Delhi: In a bizarre development, a doctor of the Maulana Azad Medical College has been accused of illegally removing the skull from the body on which he performed an autopsy, prompting the institution to bar him from conducting post mortem examinations.

The doctor, a post-graduate scholar and junior resident, has approached the Delhi High Court, claiming the allegation was "devoid of merit and bereft of a single evidence" to substantiate the heinous claims even remotely. The July 29 order issued by the Head of the Department (HOD) of Forensic Medicine of Maulana Azad Medical College, stated the doctor was hereby barred from doing post mortem work with immediate effect after the complaint of indulging in unethical practice of skull removal from the unknown body".

The order said the doctor will be debarred from such duty till he deposits the "unethically removed skull" with the department, otherwise it will be presumed he did it for "ulterior motives .

Justice Yashwant Varma, whom the doctor's counsel appealed to set aside the order, said the hospital's directive did not amount to punishment as it only debarred the petitioner from undertaking post mortem work till the time the incident was enquired into.

Advocate Arun Panwar, appearing for Maulana Azad Medical College, submitted that taking into account the seriousness of the incident, the college has already initiated an enquiry during which the petitioner shall be afforded due opportunity of hearing and that subject to the result of the probe further action shall be taken.

In view of the aforesaid and bearing in mind the fact that the enquiry is ongoing, the court disposes of the writ petition by observing that the respondent college shall ensure that principles of natural justice are duly adhered to and the material which is proposed to be relied upon in that enquiry is provided to the petitioner.