Batchas death: CBI interrogates doctor

CHENNAI:  A team of CBI officials on Monday conducted an inquiry with the forensic experts in Chennai who conducted the autopsy of Sadick Batcha, a close aide of former telecom minister and 2 G scam prime accused, A Raja, who died in mysterious circumstances.The team, which comprised former Forensic Department Head of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr T D Dogra, re-examined the post mortem report, other medical records and the video-clippings of the autopsy procedure of Batcha before interrogating Dr V Dekal, the forensic expert who conducted the autopsy. Dr Dekal was an assistant professor of Forensic Medicine who was on deputation to the Government Royapettah Hospital. The inquiry went on for about an hour, sources said.Dr Dekal reportedly told the CBI team that Batcha’s death was caused due to constriction of the neck. He said that he had mentioned that same cause of death in the autopsy report, and had never mentioned that Batcha had committed suicide.The CBI team also questioned Tamil Nadu Forensic Department Director, Dr Shanthakumar, in connection with the case.Batcha was found hanging in his Chennai house on March 16, a few days after the CBI interrogated him in connection with the 2G spectrum scam following the arrest of former telecom minister A Raja. The probe into his death, too, was handed over to the CBI.