Question:

A 40-year-old RTA case is brought to casualty & declared brought dead by Dr. The Dr informs police official & sends body to mortuary. Autopsy in this case will be conducted on request of

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A medico-legal autopsy in an RTA death is ordered by the police/magistrate, not by relatives or the doctor.
Updated On: Aug 27, 2026
  • PP (Public Prosecutor)
  • Defence lawyer
  • Dr
  • Investigating officer
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Classify the case. A 40-year-old victim of a road traffic accident (RTA) brought dead is an unnatural / medico-legal death. By law such deaths must be reported to the police and a medico-legal (forensic) autopsy is required to establish the cause and manner of death.

Step 2: Recall who can order a medico-legal autopsy. A medico-legal post-mortem examination is NOT done on the request of relatives or doctors. It is conducted only on the written requisition of a legally authorized investigating authority - the Investigating Officer (the police officer, usually of or above the rank of sub-inspector) or a Magistrate. The doctor performs the autopsy after receiving this requisition together with the inquest papers. Hence option (D) Investigating officer is correct.

Step 3: Why the other options are wrong.
(A) Public Prosecutor represents the State in court but does not order autopsies. Wrong.
(B) Defence lawyer represents the accused and has no authority to requisition a post-mortem. Wrong.
(C) Doctor conducts the autopsy but cannot start it on his own initiative; he/she requires the police/magistrate requisition. (A doctor may request a clinical/pathological autopsy with consent of relatives, but a medico-legal autopsy of an RTA death needs the investigating authority's order.) Wrong.

Final answer: Option D - Investigating officer.
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