Sultanpur: Ex-Armyman agrees to cremate son after police accept second autopsy demand

The family of Shivank Pathak has alleged that he was murdered by his wife and business partner and had called them up a few days before his death saying that he feared for his life.

A first autopsy by the Delhi Police failed to ascertain the cause of death and said there were no injury marks on his body. During a preliminary inquiry, the Delhi Police found that Shivank had consumed excessive liquor at a party in a hotel on July 31. However, the Delhi Police refused to file an FIR, after which the family moved the High Court seeking an investigation and a second autopsy. The court had rejected the petition, police said.

Following the setback, the family brought the body home in Sultanpur and stored it in a deep freezer. “The family then moved an application in a local court of Sultanpur seeking directions to get an FIR lodged…and a second postmortem. The court rejected the application,” said Baldirai CO Raja Ram.

The family then approached Sultanpur district administration with the same demands. The plea was forwarded to the Delhi Police for consideration, officials said. The application is still pending.

Shivank used to run a business in Delhi with a person identified as Varun Verma. He had married one Gurleen Kaur who used to work in his office in 2013. The police said that on August 1, Verma took Shivank to a hospital after his condition deteriorated at home. After doctors declared him dead on arrival, Varun informed Shivank’s family about his death.

“The family has given us in writing that if a second post-mortem is conducted then they will dispose of the body…(I) am making arrangements for the second autopsy,” said SP Vipin Kumar Mishra. He said he spoke to his counterpart in Delhi who told him that the inquiry into the death was still on. The Delhi Police told the officer that it was waiting for a viscera report. Mishra said the district police will send the second autopsy to the Delhi Police.