PANAJI: The crime branch has summoned Dr Edmundo Rodrigues, head of
forensic medicine and toxicology department of Goa Medical College (
GMC) for questioning on Wednesday.
Rodrigues was part of the goof involving the cremation of the body of 24-year-old Januz Gonsalves last Friday.
A police official said they have begun investigations into the case which was made over to them on Monday from Agasaim police station.
On Friday, the forensic department staff handed over Gonsalves’ body to the Corporation of the City of
Panaji (CCP) instead of the body of 45-year-old Vishant Naik, which it had lodged at the GMC morgue.
The blunder came to light on Saturday when Januz’s family came to collect his body for the funeral.
Health minister Vishwajit Rane swung into action soon after the incident, and ordered an FIR to be registered against Rodrigues, junior technician Machindra Jalmi and Prakash Narvekar postmortem attendant. Rane warned that the heads of department and staff who don’t know their duty will be terminated from services. He also assured the family of the deceased that an inquiry will be set up against Rodrigues for criminal negligence.
Representative image
