Frame rules for docs appearing as witnesses: Madras HC orders TN

MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the State Health Secretary and Director of Medical Education to matter a comprehensive circular or guidelines to all administration health care institutions regarding the duties and responsibilities of medical professionals.

What happened

Justice B Pugalendhi issued the direction while dismissing the petitions filed by Nambu Kaleeswaran and Selvaraj, to suspend their 12 years imprisonment in a Pocso case in Ramanathapuram in 2023 by a trial court for sexually assaulting an 8-year-old minor boy.

In practice, the court observed inconsistencies in the evidence submitted by the examining doctor. According to The doctor, the victim had sustained injuries, whereas during the cross-examination, he refuted the claims.

"The expert needs to understand every question put during examination. They must carefully read and verify the deposition before signing the same and immediately bring to the notice of the court if any omission or inadvertent error is noticed, " the judge remarked.

The bottom line

Taken together, the developments around frame rules for docs appearing as witnesses: Madras HC orders TN point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.