The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today ordered the Court Registrar that the Government Analyst’s report pertaining to the death of businessman Dinesh Shafter be forwarded to the panel of medical experts who were appointed to perform a fresh postmortem inquiry into Shafter’s death.
Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya made this order after taking into consideration a request made by the counsel who watched the interest of the family of Dinesh Shafter.
President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne, appearing for the aggrieved party, highlighted the necessity of forwarding the findings of the government analyst for the perusal of forensic and medical experts who are currently performing a fresh postmortem inquiry.
On February 27, the Court appointed a five-member panel of medical experts to perform a fresh postmortem inquiry into the death of businessman Dinesh Shafter in order to ascertain whether the death was a murder or suicide. The five-member panel comprised Professor Asela Mendis (Chairman), Professor B.C.R. Perera, Professor D.H.S. Fernando, and two JMOs, Dr. Siva Subramanium and Dr. B.R. Ruwanpura. They have been tasked with performing a fresh inquiry to determine the actual cause of death for businessman Dinesh Shafter.
The aggrieved party had highlighted several contradictions and inconsistencies in the first postmortem report compiled by the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer.