Body swap case: Probe transferred to Amritsar police commissioner

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday transferred the probe into swapping of body of a Covid-19 patient in Amritsar reported last month to the commissioner of police, Amritsar.

The probe was transferred after the petitioners, sons of the Covid-19 victim, sought investigation by an independent agency alleging that reports are coming of illegal transplantation of organs of Covid victims to noncovid persons.

The HC was hearing a petition of two sons of a Hoshiarpur Covid-19 positive patient, who had moved court last month demanding that their father, whom authorities had declared dead and body reportedly got swapped in Amritsar, be produced before court.

They had told court that their father was diagnosed positive on July 1 and was admitted at Rayat Bahra University (corona isolation centre) in Hoshiarpur on July 2. Subsequently, as his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar, on July 5. But one of his sons got a call on July 18 that their father died on July 17.

But on July 18, they received the mortal remains of a woman. The government had ordered a probe by an officer of SDM level, which is still underway.

The court has asked Amritsar commissioner of police to probe how the bodies got swapped and look into the alleged transplantation of organs claims. The report is to be concluded within a month and filed before the HC.

The court said that doctors, medics, paramedical staff and other health workers are real heroes, thus, any allegations touching their integrity is to be dealt with great circumspection, caution and care.

It said that allegations regarding swapping of bodies have prima facie been established and some negligence seems to have been done and the same is required to be fixed.