Faizan Ahmed death case: How did first post-mortem on IIT boy miss before-death injuries? asks Calcutta HC

KOLKATA/KHARAGPUR: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday asked the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Kolkata, to inquire why the first post-mortem conducted on Faizan Ahmed, an IIT Kharagpur student who was found dead in a hostel room, missed the fact that he had injuries on his head and chest and had bled to death.
Justice Rajasekhar Mantha in his four-page order said, "This court is surprised that the first post-mortem doctors missed out on a vital and important aspect of the body of the deceased. The CFSL director will cause an inquiry into the circumstances under which the omission occurred."
The second post-mortem, supervised by HC-appointed forensic expert A K Gupta, mentioned Faizan's injuries to be "ante-mortem" and "homicidal in nature". The report submitted to the HC stated Faizan's death was "due to profuse bleeding causing haemorrhagic shock and combined effect infused over chest and over head. Manner of death of Faizan Ahmed, 23 yrs was ante mortem injuries, Homicidal in nature." The order was uploaded on Wednesday.
West Midnapore police superintendent Dhritiman Sarkar said, "We have not received the Calcutta High Court order yet. After we see the order copy, all HC directives will be adhered to." The SP did not elaborate on the steps. But sources indicated that based on the HC order, Section 302 of IPC related to murder was likely to be added.
Justice Mantha in his order said, "There are serious questions that are required to be addressed by the police and the IO. The matter now becomes an investigation into a likely homicide or murder." The HC also said, "The investigating officer shall be free to add additional sections to the FIR and include other persons as accused."
The HC in its order stated, "The director of CFSL, Rajarhat, Kolkata shall personally ensure a fresh forensic report is submitted within a week of receipt of the samples. Expedition is required in the facts of the case and the director of the CFSL, Rajarhat, Kolkata shall bear the same in mind." The HC sought the viscera report after a police report mentioned "a chemical called emplura (sodium nitrate) in a bottle" had been seized from the spot where Ahmed's body had been found.
The HC also asked Kolkata Police to send Faizan's body back to Dibrugarh and hand it to his family for his last rites. Faizan's mother Rehana said, "Police have learnt of the court order to take the body back to Assam. We are waiting for the police intimation. I hope no mother ever has to go through a post-mortem and a second-post mortem of her child."
The court will next hear the case on June 14.