Death Of BJP Youth Wing Leader: Calcutta HC Takes On Record Post-Mortem Report Which Indicates Death By Hanging, Probe To Be Continued By State Police

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday took on record the post-mortem examination report pertaining to the death of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) West Bengal youth leader Arjun Chowrasia who was found hanging inside a building in North Kolkata's Ghosh Bagan area. 

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj was adjudicating upon a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition seeking judicial intervention into the incident of unnatural death on allegations of foul play.

On the last date of hearing, the Court had directed the post-mortem examination to be conducted under video surveillance at the Command Hospital, Kolkata by a team of experts and in the presence of Chief Judicial Magistrate, South 24-Parganas.

"The Head of the Command Hospital will constitute a team of experts for the purpose of the said post-mortem and at the time of post-mortem, expert from AIIMS, Kalyani as also the Head of the Department of Forensic Science, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital can remain present. The CJM, South 24-Parganas will also remain present at the time of the post-mortem. The videography of the post-mortem will be done", the Court had directed. 

On Tuesday, the counsel appearing for the Union of India submitted the post-mortem examination report in a sealed cover and further apprised the Bench that the post-mortem examination had been conducted at Command Hospital, Kolkata in the presence of doctors and the Chief Judicial Magistrate as previously directed by the Court.  Furthermore, a report disclosing the panel of persons who were present at the time of the post-mortem examination was also produced separately. 

Pursuant to the perusal of the post-mortem examination report, the Court noted that the finding of the report stipulated that the cause of death is due to hanging and that the ligature marks are ante-mortem. 

"..the cause of death to the best of our knowledge is hanging. Ligature mark is ante-mortem", the Court recorded in the order quoting the report. 

Furthermore, the Court ordered that the post-mortem report along with other envelopes containing the photographs, X-ray should be handed over to Advocate General S.N Mookherjee.  The Court further directed that the preserved viscera should also be handed over to the concerned State investigating agency for the purpose of investigation. 

The Bench further observed that if the family of the deceased makes an application to the State then their request for the supply of the post-mortem report may be considered in accordance with law. 

The Advocate General also apprised the Court that the State police is investigating the matter by treating it to be a case of unnatural death and that the investigation would continue. 

Accordingly, the matter was adjourned for further hearing on May 19. 

Case Title: Amrita Pandey v. The Union of India and others