The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition by the father of Swathi murder accused Ramkumar, who allegedly committed suicide at Puzhal Prison in Chennai, seeking a doctor of his choice for the post-mortem of his son.

R Paramasivan, Ramkumar’s father, approached the apex court after the Madras High Court refused his plea for a doctor of his choice at the autopsy. The High Court had directed that the post-mortem should be conducted before October 1.

On September 18, Ramkumar allegedly took his own life by biting a live wire at the Puzhal Central Jail where he was lodged.

A day later, Justice T S Sivagnanam refused to concur with the petitioner’s plea and appointed a panel of four government doctors for the autopsy.

After the order was challenged by the petitioner, his plea was referred to the Chief Justice by a division bench comprising justices Huluvadi G Ramesh and Vaidyanathan, each of who had their own differing points of view on the issue.

The Chief Justice then appointed Justice N Kirubakaran as the third judge who rejected the petitioner’s plea and instructed AIIMS Delhi to appoint a doctor for the post-mortem.

The case has been mired in controversy ever since Ramkumar was arrested on July 1 for allegedly hacking to death 24-year-old Infosys employee Swathi at Nungambakkam railway station in Chennai.

His family has maintained that he did not commit the crime and that he is being framed.