Telangana HC orders fresh forensic opinion in Warangal death case

The Telangana High Court has directed Geesugonda police to obtain a fresh forensic opinion from Osmania General Hospital in connection with the death of Lyadella Raju, whose case was earlier closed as a natural death due to cardiac arrest. Justice T. Madhavi Devi expressed doubts over the earlier medical conclusion, noting visible injuries on the deceased’s body, and ordered further investigation with a higher-level forensic review.

By Our Legal Correspondent

Hyderabad: Justice T. Madhavi Devi of the Telangana High Court has directed the Geesugonda police to obtain a fresh forensic opinion from the Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at Osmania General Hospital regarding the death of a man whose case was closed after a medical opinion attributed the death to sudden cardiac arrest.

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The Court was hearing a writ petition filed by Lyadella Priyanka, the wife of the deceased Lyadella Raju, alleging that the police had failed to conduct a fair and effective investigation into the crime registered at the Geesugonda Police Station, Warangal District.

Counsel for the petitioner, B. Balraju, submitted that the petitioner’s husband was found dead with injuries on his body and that the police had nevertheless closed the case by relying on an opinion furnished by an Assistant Professor of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Kakatiya Medical College, which stated that the death was due to sudden cardiac arrest and was a natural death.

He drew the attention of the Court to the photographs of the deceased and the injury marks visible on his body, contending that the death could not simply be treated natural death. Taking note of the material placed before it, Justice Madhavi Devi expressed serious reservations over the conclusion that the death was natural.

The Court noted that the police had earlier sought a point-wise clarification from the forensic expert regarding the injuries found on the body of the deceased. However, the subsequent clarification merely reiterated that the death was due to sudden cardiac arrest without providing a point-wise response to the specific issues raised by the investigating authorities.

The Judge orally commented, “From the record, it does not appear to be a case of natural death. Please don’t tell me that.” The Judge also indicated that the police should conduct further investigation from their end instead of merely proceeding on the basis of the opinion already obtained. After examining the photographs and the post-mortem report, which referred to injury marks on the body of the deceased, the Court held that a fresh opinion from a medical officer higher in rank than the officer who had earlier furnished the opinion was necessary.

Accordingly, Justice Madhavi Devi directed the concerned Assistant Commissioner of Police to forward all relevant records, including the post-mortem report, photographs and the earlier medical opinions, to the Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad, and obtain an opinion regarding the possible cause of death.

The concerned authority has been directed to examine the material and furnish an appropriate opinion, following which the police shall take further action in accordance with law. The entire exercise has been directed to be completed within three months, and a copy of the fresh opinion is to be furnished to the petitioner.