Calcutta HC allows autopsy of BJP worker to be done in front of his wife or kin

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday allowed the post mortem of an arrested BJP worker who died under mysterious circumstances in hospital, to be done in front of his wife or anyone else deputed by her.

Sanjay Bera, a BJP worker from Debra in West Midnapore District of West Bengal allegedly died after being repeatedly admitted to hospital. His family members have alleged that he died due to injuries inflicted by the police.

The single-judge Bench of Justice Amrita Sinha gave the direction after the first hearing on a petition by Bera’s family seeking a CBI probe, as well as an autopsy at a central government-controlled hospital in Bengal.

However, Justice Sinha directed that the post- mortem be conducted at the state-run SSKM Medical College & Hospital.

She also allowed the wife of the deceased or any other representative deputed by her, to be present during the autopsy.

Justice Sinha also directed video-recording of the entire post-mortem process and handing over of the body to the family members after the process is over.

The next hearing in the matter is scheduled on June 26.

The family members moved the petition at Justice Sinha’s Bench just hours after the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

“Police arrested Bera on June 4 and he was sent to judicial custody. He got admitted to Medinipur Medical College after that but he was sent back to judicial custody on June 11. He was again sent to hospital and he died on Tuesday. Police are giving a lame excuse that he incurred a head injury after falling down,” Adhikari claimed.

On Wednesday, Bera’s family members claimed that when he was arrested on June 4, he had no injury marks on his body. However, when he was presented in court the next day he had injury marks on his head.