Testimony of doctor vital evidence to punish guilty: J&K Chief Justice

Jammu: Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice Gita Mittal on Sunday asserted that the testimony of doctor is vital evidence in a domestic or sexual violence case, to punish the guilty.

She called upon the doctors to use their inner conscience, while attending the victims of such crimes, so that their opinions become the main evidence in determining the cases by the judiciary.

Speaking at a day-long training programme for presiding officers and doctors on handling survivors of sexual violence at hospitals, Justice Mittal said, ''The purpose of holding this important programme is to explain the significant role a doctor plays in helping a victim to get justice at times.

''In a case of domestic violence, a doctor, while trying to ascertain the reasons behind the patient's condition, usually records the patient's history.

''If the victim dies, the same statement recorded by the doctor before the death of the patient is treated by the Judge as the 'dying declaration' of the victim,'' she added.