NEW DELHI: The Delhi HC allowed a plea on Thursday by the mother of India’s envoy to Palestine, Aryanto conduct a fresh post-mortem examination of her son’s body and directed that the process be video-graphed.
Arya was recently found dead in his room at the Indian mission in Ramallah.
The HC’s order came after Centre assured Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar that the ministry of external affairs was facilitating the autopsy at AIIMSas desired by the family.
Counsel for the Centre submitted that it, too, was concerned and that the authorities were not opposing the plea seeking another postmortem, even as he maintained that there was no foul play in the death. Senior advocate Sidharth Luthraappearing for Mukul Arya’s mother, Roshan Lata Aryaurged the court to allow either the family members or their representatives to be present during the autopsy.
Justice Bhatnagar, however, pointed out that he would permit the autopsy to be carried out as per norms and to be video-recorded. The senior counsel for the petitioner stated that at this stage he was not pressing the other plea seeking the constitution of a commission to inquire into the suspicious circumstances under which the deceased died.
On March 7, authorities in Palestine had issued a declaration of death/post-mortem report citing the cause of death as myocardial infarction, the plea said, adding that the officer was a fitness enthusiast and, according to the family, there was no blockage in his arteries. The petitioner contended it was “unfathomable how the deceased could have suffered a heart attack/ myocardial infarction, allegedly leading to his death. ”
The petition said that according to Arya’s driver he was found unconscious in his room on March 6, covered by a blanket. It added that the room had been cleaned up before the family could reach Ramallah, all the evidence had been destroyed, and the family’s representations to government agencies disputing the declaration of death dated March 7 and alleging foul play in the death had not been answered.
Arya was recently found dead in his room at the Indian mission in Ramallah.
The HC’s order came after Centre assured Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar that the ministry of external affairs was facilitating the autopsy at AIIMSas desired by the family.
Counsel for the Centre submitted that it, too, was concerned and that the authorities were not opposing the plea seeking another postmortem, even as he maintained that there was no foul play in the death. Senior advocate Sidharth Luthraappearing for Mukul Arya’s mother, Roshan Lata Aryaurged the court to allow either the family members or their representatives to be present during the autopsy.
Justice Bhatnagar, however, pointed out that he would permit the autopsy to be carried out as per norms and to be video-recorded. The senior counsel for the petitioner stated that at this stage he was not pressing the other plea seeking the constitution of a commission to inquire into the suspicious circumstances under which the deceased died.
On March 7, authorities in Palestine had issued a declaration of death/post-mortem report citing the cause of death as myocardial infarction, the plea said, adding that the officer was a fitness enthusiast and, according to the family, there was no blockage in his arteries. The petitioner contended it was “unfathomable how the deceased could have suffered a heart attack/ myocardial infarction, allegedly leading to his death. ”
The petition said that according to Arya’s driver he was found unconscious in his room on March 6, covered by a blanket. It added that the room had been cleaned up before the family could reach Ramallah, all the evidence had been destroyed, and the family’s representations to government agencies disputing the declaration of death dated March 7 and alleging foul play in the death had not been answered.