Introduction The word Exhumation comes from Latin words ex meaning "out of", and humus, meaning "ground". Thus the word literally means "out of ground". Exhumation means the lawful disinterment or digging out a body from a grave, which has already been buried.Section 176(3) of CrPC. Objectives: For the purposes of identification (For unidentified dead bodies as well) Re-Autopsy in the case of foul play. (To identify what was the exact cause of death) To determine the cause of death especially when the foul play is suspected for e.g. homicide, disputed case of death or poisoning. Procedure: District Magistrate /Sub-Divisional Magistrate /Executive Magistrate are empowered to order for the exhumation. Carried out during early morning hours. In India ,no time limit is fixed. Body is exhumed under the supervision of a magistrate in the presence of a doctor. The presence of a police officer is required for providing witness to the identity the grave and the dead body as well as maintaining law and order.Autopsy may have to be done at the spot for which a tarpaulin screen may be erected around the grave or the body/skeleton may be shifted to a close-by mortuary. It is advisable to be conversant with the nature of the geological layout of the cemetery and direction of any water drainage. If the grave is water-logged, samples of water should be collected. Identification of Grave: The identified grave should then be dug carefully to avoid damage to the coffin and its contents. Notes should be made about the condition of the soil, water content and nature of vegetation. In suspected case of mineral poisoning about 500 gram of sample of earth in actual contact with coffin should be collected preserved in a dry clean glass bottle for chemical analysis. Control samples at some distance from the coffin should be taken. If interment has been recent then post mortem is carried in usual manner. After the dirt has been removed from above and around the corpse, it needs to be photographed. A drawing of the grave and body or skeleton should be made noting all the details. In case of bodies which has been underground for a sufficiently long time undergone putrefaction, an attempt should be made to determine: 1) Sex 2) Stature 3)Marks of Identification Disinfectants should not be sprinkled on the body. If decomposition is not advanced, a plank or a plastic sheet should be made to spread under the body and the body be gently shifted onto plank or sheet and then removed from the grave. If skeletonization is advanced, then it may become necessary to dig down beside and beneath the body and the skeleton (including some soil from beneath and sides) be lifted on some plank or sheet and transported to a mortuary.The soil must be carefully screened for smaller objects like teeth, bullet(s), hyoid bone, thyroid cartilage, etc. If necessary, X-ray examination of the body with surroundings should be undertaken before transporting the body.

1. EXHUMATION
SHRUTI .V. PAWAR
MASTER’S IN FORENSIC SCIENCE

2. 1 2 3 4 5
INTRODUCTION OBEJECTIVES PROCEDURE CASE STUDIES REFERENCES
2
CONTENT
EXHUMATION

3. Introduction
• The word Exhumation comes from Latin words
ex meaning "out of", and humus, meaning
"ground". Thus the word literally means "out of
ground".
• Exhumation means the lawful disinterment or
digging out a body from a grave, which has
already been buried.
• Section 176(3) of CrPC.
3

4. Objectives​
For the purposes of
identification
(For unidentified dead
bodies as well)
Re-Autopsy in the case
of foul play.
(To identify what was
the exact cause of
death)
To determine the
cause of death
especially when the
foul play is suspected
for e.g. homicide,
disputed case of death
or poisoning.
4 EXHUMATION

5. Procedure
• District Magistrate /Sub-Divisional
Magistrate /Executive Magistrate are
empowered to order for the exhumation.
• Carried out during early morning hours.
• In India ,no time limit is fixed.
• Body is exhumed under the supervision of a
magistrate in the presence of a doctor. The
presence of a police officer is required for
providing witness to the identity the grave
and the dead body as well as maintaining
law and order.
5

6. Continue..
• Autopsy may have to be done at the spot for
which a tarpaulin screen may be erected
around the grave or the body/skeleton may
be shifted to a close-by mortuary.
• It is advisable to be conversant with the
nature of the geological layout of the
cemetery and direction of any water
drainage. If the grave is water-logged,
samples of water should be collected.
6

7. • The identified grave should then be dug carefully to avoid
damage to the coffin and its contents. Notes should be
made about the condition of the soil, water content and
nature of vegetation.
• In suspected case of mineral poisoning about 500 gram of
sample of earth in actual contact with coffin should be
collected preserved in a dry clean glass bottle for chemical
analysis.
• Control samples at some distance from the coffin should be
taken.
Identification of Grave
7

8. continue
• If interment has been recent then post mortem is
carried in usual manner.
• After the dirt has been removed from above and
around the corpse, it needs to be photographed. A
drawing of the grave and body or skeleton should be
made noting all the details.
• In case of bodies which has been underground for a
sufficiently long time undergone putrefaction, an
attempt should be made to determine:
1) Sex
2) Stature
3)Marks of Identification
8

9. 9
• Disinfectants should not be sprinkled on the
body.
• If decomposition is not advanced, a plank or
a plastic sheet should be made to spread
under the body and the body be gently
shifted onto plank or sheet and then removed
from the grave.
• If skeletonization is advanced, then it may
become necessary to dig down beside and
beneath the body and the skeleton (including
some soil from beneath and sides) be lifted
on some plank or sheet and transported to a
mortuary.

10. 10 Exhumation
The soil must be carefully screened for
smaller objects like teeth, bullet(s), hyoid
bone, thyroid cartilage, etc. If necessary, X-
ray examination of the body with
surroundings should be undertaken before
transporting the body and the materials
surrounding it.
Eight jars with soil from top, bottom, front,
back, left and right side of the casket. Two
jars contain soil from about 25 yards away
from the grave.

11. • Hairs found on body should be preserved in a
dry clean glass bottle for subsequent
identification or chemical analysis.
• A search should also be made for recent or old
injuries and fractures.
• All the cavities should be examined as many
viscera as can be obtained, should try to be
preserved.
• In case of suspected mineral poisoning such as
arsenic, antimony hairs, nails long bone should
be preserved.
11

12. 12 Exhumation
SHAKEREH KHALELLI MURDER CASE:
• Shakereh Khaleeli was "rich and beautiful" and came from one of the most
aristocratic families in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. But in 1991, the
wealthy heiress went missing and it seemed like she had vanished into thin air.
• For three years, her second husband - Murali Manohar Mishra, better known
as Swami Shraddhananda - made up fantastic stories about her whereabouts. In
1994, her remains were dug out from under the courtyard of their swanky home
in the city of Bengaluru (then Bangalore).
• Shakereh had been drugged, packed in a wooden casket and - it was later
revealed - buried alive.
• In 2003, the trial court convicted Shraddhananda for murder and gave him the
death penalty, which the high court later confirmed. The courts accepted that he
had pursued and married Shakereh for her wealth and properties worth
billions of rupees.

13. 13 EXHUMATION
• The Sheena Bora murder case unfolded in India,
captivating the nation with its sensational details.
In 2015, it was revealed that Sheena Bora, the
daughter of media executive Indrani Mukerjea,
had been allegedly murdered in 2012.
• The case took a shocking turn when it was
discovered that Indrani, along with her former
husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar
Rai, was involved in the heinous crime.
• The motive was speculated to be complex,
involving issues of relationships, property, and
financial disputes. The case garnered widespread
media attention, exposing the intricate web of
lies and deceit that had shrouded the truth for
years.
• The trial, marked by twists and turns, brought to
light the grim realities of familial discord and the
lengths some individuals may go to in order to
protect their interests.
Sheena Bora murder case

14. references
14 EXHUMATION
1. Anwar A. Exhumation. Aligarh Muslim University.
2. BBC News. (2023, May 2). Dancing on the grave: The decades-old murder that
shook India. BBC News.
3. Pratim Alias Peter Mukherjea vs Union of India And Anr on 19 January, 2018
4. Swamy Sharaddanandea @ Murali ... vs State Of Karnataka on 18 May, 2007