Bihar Deputy Superintendent and Two Doctors Suspended for Alleged Post-Mortem Irregularities

Doctors Suspended After Judicial Inquiry Finds Discrepancies in Jamui Custodial Death Post-mortem

Summary of action taken

The Bihar Health Department has suspended the Deputy Superintendent and two medical officers attached to Jamui Sadar Hospital following allegations that crucial details were omitted from a post-mortem report in a custodial death. The suspensions were ordered on March 10, 2026, under the Bihar Government Servants (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 2005. The order was issued by Upendra Ram, Under Secretary in the state government, after approval from the competent authority.

Case background and timeline

The case concerns the death of Sidhu Koda, also known locally as Munshi Da, a resident of Nehaldih in the Chakai area of Jamui district. He died while in police custody on February 22, 2020. Questions about the handling of the subsequent post-mortem emerged during later proceedings, prompting closer scrutiny of the autopsy documentation prepared by the hospital medical team.

Findings of the magistrate-ordered judicial inquiry

Discrepancies between physical observations and the official report

A judicial inquiry ordered by a magistrate reviewed the autopsy process and the report prepared by the doctors. The inquiry reportedly identified several discrepancies between what was physically observed on the body and what was recorded in the official post-mortem report. Specifically, the inquiry noted that blood was observed coming from the victim’s nose, ears, and mouth, and that cut marks were present on the body. According to the inquiry, these observations were not included in the final autopsy report prepared by the medical team.

Procedural irregularities during the autopsy

The judicial inquiry additionally found that standard procedures were not followed during the autopsy. Among the procedural shortcomings recorded by the inquiry was the absence of documentation of any independent external witness during the examination. The inquiry also concluded that the exact cause of death was not clearly specified in the post-mortem report. These findings formed the basis for further scrutiny by oversight authorities.

National Human Rights Commission involvement

Review and directive

The matter was subsequently brought before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in New Delhi. After reviewing the judicial inquiry and related material, the commission took serious note of the alleged negligence in the preparation of the post-mortem report. In an order dated October 29, 2025, the NHRC directed authorities to initiate strict disciplinary action against the medical team accused of altering or omitting details in the report.

Impact of the commission’s direction

The NHRC’s directive prompted action by the state health authorities. The commission’s involvement underscored the gravity with which the alleged omissions were viewed by a national oversight body and set in motion the administrative measures that resulted in the March 2026 suspensions.

State Health Department response and suspension details

Orders and immediate administrative measures

Acting on the NHRC directions, the state health department issued suspension orders on March 10, 2026. The three doctors—a Deputy Superintendent and two medical officers—have been placed under suspension under the Bihar Government Servants (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 2005. During the suspension period, their official headquarters will be recorded as the Health Department office in Patna.

Entitlements and nature of suspension

While suspended, the officers will be entitled to subsistence allowance in accordance with applicable service rules. Officials have described the suspension as an interim administrative step; it does not constitute a final finding of guilt, but is intended to allow a comprehensive departmental inquiry to proceed without the officers remaining in their original postings.

Next steps: departmental inquiry and procedural follow-up

Scope of the inquiry to come

A detailed departmental inquiry will now be conducted to examine the specific allegations against the three medical personnel. The inquiry is expected to review the conduct of the post-mortem, the preparation and contents of the autopsy report, and any departures from prescribed procedures that the magistrate’s judicial inquiry and the NHRC have flagged.

Administrative oversight and accountability

The suspension order indicates that the state intends to pursue administrative accountability in response to the judicial inquiry’s findings and the NHRC directive. The order was formally signed by an under secretary in the state government after obtaining the necessary approvals from the competent authority, indicating executive-level engagement with the case.

Reporting and public interest

How the case came to light

According to a report by medichelpline, the case attracted attention following the magistrate-ordered judicial inquiry into the post-mortem documentation. The inquiry’s conclusions about omitted observations and procedural lapses triggered review by the NHRC and subsequent administrative measures by the state health department.

Significance for institutional processes

The sequence of events—from custodial death to judicial inquiry, NHRC intervention, and administrative suspension—highlights the interaction between judicial oversight, human rights review, and departmental accountability mechanisms. The pending departmental inquiry will determine whether disciplinary penalties beyond suspension are warranted, and its findings will be the next formal step in resolving the allegations concerning the post-mortem report.

Current status and what to expect

Interim nature of the action

As of the March 10, 2026 suspension order, the three medical officers remain suspended with headquarters at the Health Department in Patna and are receiving subsistence allowance as per service rules. The suspensions are interim, and a departmental inquiry is now expected to carry forward a fact-based examination of the allegations identified by the magistrate’s inquiry and noted by the NHRC.

Awaiting inquiry outcomes

Further administrative decisions will follow the departmental inquiry’s findings. Those outcomes will determine whether the suspensions are lifted, whether further disciplinary measures are imposed, or whether other actions are taken in response to the alleged omissions and procedural lapses identified in the handling of the post-mortem report.