Doctor who performed autopsy on Batcha quits

V Dekal, the forensic surgeon who conducted a post-mortem on the body of Sadhick Batcha, a close aide of former communications minister A Raja and one of the prime suspects in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, says he had put in his papers early this month as he intends to contest the April 13 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. There is, however, no word of confirmation from the government as is yet to accept his resignation.

“I resigned because I wanted to contest the Assembly elections as an Independent candidate. This is in no way related to the case,” he said.

Dekal said he was yet to make up his mind to contest the polls since his relieving orders were yet to come.

Batcha, considered a vital link in the 2G spectrum money trail, was found hanging at his residence in Chennai last Thursday. Dekal, an assistant professor of forensic medicine at the Government Royapettah Hospital in Chennai, did the postmortem on Batcha’s body.

Dekal’s father was a member of the ruling DMK, which the former minister Raja also represents.

After performing the autopsy, Dekal had said Batcha died due to asphyxia and his body showed compression of the neck with a hanging mark. “We cannot say now whether it was suicide or murder. The report would be available in two weeks,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu Public Health Director to consider the resignation of Dr V Dekal, who had conducted the postmortem on the body of former Telecom Minister A Raja's aide Sadiq Batcha. Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar, before whom the petition came up, directed the Director of Public Health to consider the resignation and pass orders in accordance with law.