In the autopsy, nine injury marks were detected on the body -- neck, elbows, thigh and left wrist -- besides a strangulation mark on the neck.
The mystery over the death of a top medical officer in jail deepened today with a post-mortem revealing nine injuries on his body even as opposition parties amd his family cried foul and demanded a CBI probe alleging it was "murder".
Cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh giving details of the report of the autopsy on the body of deputy chief medical officer (CMO) YS Sachan said the death was caused by "excessive bleeding" and that prima facie it was a case of suicide.
"Prima facie it's a case of suicide, but as judicial inquiry is being conducted into the incidents the facts will come out soon. As the judicial inquiry has already started it is not appropriate to reach any conclusion," he said, rejecting the demand for a CBI probe.
In the autopsy, nine injury marks were detected on the body -- neck, elbows, thigh and left wrist -- besides a strangulation mark on the neck. The post-mortem was conducted within 24 hours after his body was found, Singh said.
"A sharp blade, which Sachan probably used to slit his veins was recovered from the spot and has been taken as the evidence," he said.
Sachan was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the toilet of the Lucknow jail hospital last night with the police claiming it to be a case of suicide.
The opposition alleged that Sachan, the main accused in CMO BP Singh murder case, was "murdered" to save two former ministers of the Mayawati government and those involved in the killing of two chief medical officers.
The state government besides ordering a judicial inquiry and suspended the jailor and four other staffers.
"Excessive bleeding is the cause of death in the postmortem. The viscera of Sachan has also been preserved", Singh said.
The cabinet secretary said the post-mortem was conducted by a panel of five doctors in the presence of Sachan's family members at mortuary premises and the entire procedure was videographed.
"In fact the "panchnama" of Dr Sachan done by a magistrate last night was also videographed," Singh said, adding that on the request of the deputy CMO's family the post-mortem was carried out today this morning and not in the night itself.
Ruling out a CBI inquiry into death of CMO BP Singh, the cabinet secretary said there was no reason as of now to order a CBI probe.
"All the accused of Singh's murder have not only been arrested but they have also confessed to the crime. Sachan's death is subsequent to the crime", he said.
Singh said that Sachan was arrested on April 5 after large scale anomalies were detected in implementation of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) funds after which court granted his police custody remand on April 8 and April 13 but he could not be interrogated both the times due to heart pain.
On June 10, during the 24-hour police custody remand Sachan is said to have told police that Dr BP Singh was after him due to NRHM scams and later on June 17 the special task force arrested three shooters hired by him to eliminate Singh.
Subsequent to the arrest of shooters, the police had applied for the remand of Sachan on Jun 22 on which hearing was to be done today before which he he died.
When asked how Sachan reached first floor of the bathroom to hang himself after cutting his veins on wrist, neck, elbows and thigh, the cabinet secretary merely said that a probe was underway.
Singh said Sachan was found missing from his jail hospital bed at about 8pm last night during a head count after which a search was launched to trace him.
Sachan was named in CMO murder case as the main accused by police following the arrest of three persons by the special task force on June 17. Singh was shot dead by unidentified persons on the morning of April 2.
Suspecting foul play, Congress said Sachan may have been murdered.
"He (Sachan) was arrested and last night, according to the government, he comitted suicide, but as per circumstances it does not look like that it was a suicide. May be the persons, who killed Dr (Vinod) Arya (another CMO) and Dr Singh, also have murdered Dr Sachan," Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said.
Demanding immediate arrests of former state ministers Babu Singh Khushwaha and Anant Kumar Mishra for their alleged involvement in Sachan's death, Samajwadi party claimed he was murdered to save these leaders.
"Both Khushwaha and Mishra should be arrested as they are involved in multi-crore scam in NRHM funds. They along with cabinet secretary and a senior official are behind the murder of Dr Sachan", SP state president Akhilesh Yadav told reporters. "It is a big conspiracy," he said.
BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "It is evident in the circumstances that it is a case of murder not suicide".
The party has demanded a CBI probe in a transparent and time-bound manner.
An official spokesperson said jailor of the Lucknow jail, a deputy jailor, a head constable and two guards have been placed under suspension on charges of dereliction of duty.
According to inspector general of the jail VK Gupta, "prima facie, it seems to be a case of suicide".
Sachan's family too has alleged that he was murdered and demanded a CBI probe. "Have you ever heard of anyone hanging himself with his belt?" his brother RK Sachan asked.
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