Chennai : In a new development to the ongoing legal tussle in the P Ramkumar post-mortem case, the Supreme Court today dismissed a plea filed by father of the deceased R Paramasivam, who sought a private doctor to be part of the proceedings.

The judgement has now paved the way for the autopsy to take place on October 1.

In its response this morning, the Supreme Court stated that Paramasivam cannot get an independent doctor/expert to be part of the post-mortem, which has been pending since September 19. The petitioner had approached the Supreme Court after the Division Bench of Madras High Court gave a verdict that a fifth doctor from the AIIMS Delhi can be part of the autopsy, to ally fears that foul play can take place.

Dissatisfied, the family filed a petition to move the Supreme Court, subsequently staying the procedure until September 30. The Supreme Court Justice observed that allowing an independent expert would set a ‘bad practice’.

Earlier, advocates Kamini Jaiswal and S Rajanikanth who spoke for Paramasivam, argued that a government doctor can give a biased report on his son’s death.

Ramkumar allegedly committed suicide by biting into a live wire or at Puzhal prison on September 18. The police say he bit into an electric wire at the dispensary block of the high risk ward in Puzhal prison. He died before reaching the Royapettah Government Hospital. He was in judicial custody as the accused in the murder of Swathi, 24, a techie.

On June 24 morning, Ramkumar allegedly hacked Swathi multiple times with a sickle at Nungambakkam Railway Station. He was arrested at his home in Meenakshipuram, Tirunelveli, on July 1.