The Supreme Court has held that forensic doctors who disclose post-mortem findings in medico-legal cases to the media even before the investigating agencies get the report will be held in contempt of court.

“This court is of the view that the impact of a doctor issuing an erroneous post-mortem report and publicising it through the media goes far beyond individual misconduct. It spreads misinformation, erodes trust in investigative agencies and institutions such as the police and judiciary, prejudices public opinion, traumatises the victim’s family, and undermines the rule of law,” a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said.

The bench said such misconduct eroded public trust in medicine, law and governance. “It also violates the sub-judice rule, which restricts commentary on matters under judicial consideration to preserve fairness and integrity. The court emphasises that justice is not served by following majority sentiment or public pressure. Justice is served by truth, established through evidence and impartial investigation. While public outrage is understandable in high-profile cases, it should never dictate the course of inquiry,” it added.

The bench held Hyderabad-based forensic doctor B. Muni Swamy guilty of committing contempt of court while dealing with the pleas by G. Siddharth Reddy challenging his conviction for abetting the suicide of Telugu actress Pratyusha in 2002 and the deceased’s mother, who alleged that her daughter was gang-raped and strangulated. Dr Swamy passed away in 2009.

The top court said it concurred with the CBI finding that Dr Swamy had furnished an erroneous post-mortem report and had gone to the media with premature sensational claims.