Medical college sets up clinical forensic medicine unit

In view of the poor quality medico-legal reports which affect judicial trials, a medical institute here has set up a clinical forensic medicine unit.

The unit will work jointly with the emergency centre and all medico-legal cases (MLC) will be handled by experts from the forensic department, said Dr Indrajit Khandekar, the forensic physician incharge at the department of forensic medicine in Sewagram-based Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (MGIMS) and Kasturba hospital.

The institute has set up Maharashtra's first Clinical Forensic Medicine Unit (CFMU).

"Earlier, handling of such cases was done by casualty medical officers or doctors from clinical department. There was no involvement of experts from forensic medicine due to which the results were highly inadequate," Khandekar said.

 

MGIMS has also developed a forensic medical software which will generate printed and organised reports.

"The software will have complete data system of patients with specific features so that not even a minute detail is skipped. This can help prevent the unjust acquittal of accused and there will be no scope for any loopholes," he pointed out.

"Previously, the students used to complete the degree without any kind of practical experience in the field which later created hardships for them. But now they will become real experts," he claimed. He said they had to study more than 1,200 judgements and approach judges, lawyers, police officers and local crime branch team to prepare the new proforma of CFMU.

"We have done a thorough research of medico-legal cases and have found out the reasons for inadequate and cursory reports. The preparation of new formats and its incorporation into software took eight months," Khandekar added.