Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Unclaimed dead bodies in hospitals, prisons and public places how to be dealt with.- (1) If a person dies in a hospital or in a prison and his body is not claimed by any person interested within the prescribed time, the authority in charge of such hospital or prison or any police officer shall, with the least practicable delay report the fact to the authorised officer and the said officer shall take possession of the unclaimed body and except in the case referred to in sub-section (3), hand it over to the authority in charge of an approved institution, if it is required by that authority, for the purpose of conducting anatomical examination and dissection or other similar purpose. (2) If a person dies in any public place in an area in which he had no permanent place of residence and the body of that person is not claimed by any person interested within the prescribed time, the authorised officer shall take possession of such unclaimed body and except in the case referred to in sub-section (3), hand it over to the authority in charge of an approved institution, if it is required by that authority, for the purposes specified in sub-section (1). (3) When there is any doubt regarding the cause of death or when for any reason the authorised officer considers it expedient so to do, he shall forward the unclaimed body to the police officer referred to in section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Central Act V of 1898). 4 (4) Where any unclaimed body taken possession of by the authorised officer under this section is not required by the authority in charge of an approved institution for the purpose specified in sub-section (1) it shall be disposed of in such manner as may be prescribed. 1[4A. Donation of bodies or any part thereof of deceased persons for anatomical examination etc.,- (1) If any person at any time before his death had expressed an intention in writing in the presence of two or more witnesses, that his body or any part of his body be given to an approved institution for being used after his death for the purpose of conducting anatomical examination and dissection or other similar purpose, any person interested may, unless he has reason to believe that the said intention was subsequently revoked authorised the removal of the dead body or such part thereof to any approved institution for use in accordance with the intention. (2) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1) such person interested may authorise the removal of the whole body or any part from the body for use for the purposes specified in sub-section (1) unless he has reason to believe,- (a) that the deceased had expressed an objection to his body or any part thereof being so dealt with after his death, and had not withdrawn such objection; or (b) that any near relative of the deceased referred to the explanation to clause (d) of section 2 objects to the body being so dealt with. (3) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (4) and (5), the removal and use of the whole body or any part of a body in accordance with an authority given in pursuance of this section shall be lawful, and shall be sufficient warrant for the removal of the body or any part thereof and it's use for the purposes of this Act. (4) The body or any part of the body of any deceased person shall not be removed for any of the purposes specified in sub-section (1) from any place where such person may have died,- (i) within forty-eight hours from the time of such person's death; or (ii) until after twenty-four hours notice, (to be reckoned from the time of such death) to the Executive Magistrate of the intended removal of the body; or (iii) unless a certificate stating in what manner such person came by his death shall, previously to the removal of the body has been signed by the registered medical practitioner who attended such person during the illness whereof he died or, if no such practitioner attended such person during such illness, then by a registered medical practitioner who shall be called in after the death of such person to view his body and who shall state the manner and cause of death according to the bet of his knowledge and belief, but who shall not be concerned in dealing with the body for any of the purposes aforesaid removal, and in case of such removal, such certificate shall be delivered together with the body to the authority in-charge of an approved institution receiving the same for any of the purposes aforesaid. (5) If the person interested has reason to believe that an inquest or a postmortem examination of such body may be required to be held, in accordance with the provisions of any law for the time being if force, the authority for the removal of the body or any part 5 thereof shall not be given under this section except with the consent of the authority empowered to hold an inquest or order postmortem under such law.]1