Maharashtra: A doctor in Mumbai has been booked for allegedly issuing a death certificate after looking at a dead body on a WhatsApp video call instead of physically checking the body.
According to reports, the doctor said that the victim, whose body was found in Sanjay Gandhi National Park after a poaching murder case, had died of a cardiac arrest.
The accused doctor did not physically check the deceased and issued a death certificate after viewing the body over a video call.
According to reports, four men allegedly shot a municipal worker at Sanjay Gandhi National Park. These men were on an illegal hunting expedition inside the park when they mistook the man for a wild boar and shot him dead.
The doctor who issued the death certificate was identified as 56-year-old Dr. Rajesh Pandurang Palande. Dr. Rajesh worked at Ashish Hospital in Kashigaon.
Rahul Chavan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mira Road, said,“The doctor issued a death certificate without physically examining the deceased, relying instead on a WhatsApp video call. We have booked him for allegedly issuing a false death certificate and helping the other accused cover up the murder.”
The case came to light when senior inspector Rahul Patil at Kashigaon police station received a tip-off that a person had been shot dead at Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
The victim, Vijay Sapte, was a resident of Velkari Pada in Chena village. His body was cremated in the same village.
According to reports, on 19 October, Vijay, along with his son Rohit and a few other men, Mahesh Anant Gaikar, Kalpesh, Kunal, and Kathod, had gone to Dabubcha Ghat hill to hunt wild boar in the evening when the incident took place.
Rohit told India.com that Anant had a shotgun, while Vijay and Kathod were carrying muzzle-loading guns.
Rohit told the police that during the hunting expedition, at around 9:30 pm, someone had switched on a torchlight. That was when Anant fired his shotgun, mistaking the light for a wild boar.
According to reports, the pellets struck Vijay on the left side of his chest and leg. A few other members were also injured.
Vijay was carried back to the village; however, his son suspected his death once the victim’s body turned cold.
According to Rohit, on 20 October, Gaikar made a video call to Dr. Palande to show him Vijay’s body. After seeing the body on the call, the doctor claimed Vijay was dead. He then asked for Vijay’s Aadhaar card, proof of address, and other paperwork, promising to give them a death certificate. Later, Gaikar got the death certificate and sent it to Vijay’s family.
Vijay’s last rites were performed in the presence of his relatives at the Chenegaon cremation ground at 6 am.
The police arrested Dr. Palande and other people who are accused in the case.
The investigation is still ongoing.
(Rh/ARC)