Final wishes of late Schaffter were to cremate his remains - Counsel for family members

• Says his client’s stance regarding the burial and cremation to be communicated to the court on next hearing date

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

Counsel who appeared on behalf of the aggrieved party, the family members of late businessman Dinesh Schaffter yesterday informed court that final wishes of the deceased were to cremate the remains following his death.   

President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne appearing for the aggrieved party made these remarks when the magisterial inquiry into the death of businessman Dinesh Schaffter came up before Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya.  

However, the President’s Counsel said that if the court directs the remains to be buried following the postmortem, the family members’ intention was to bury the remains in a land plot in Jawatta area. He further said the aggrieved party’s request for cremation could be decided after taking into consideration the opinion expressed by the five-member expert medical panel.  
He further said that his application to release the body will be supported after filing affidavits together with the last wishes of the deceased.  

Counsel appearing for the interests of Chandra Schaffter, the father of late Dinesh Schaffter told court that his client’s stance regarding the burial and cremation to be communicated to the court on next hearing date.   
Meanwhile, the Court issued an order directing the expert medical panel to see the possibility of giving permission to cremate the body if it is not required for further investigation.  

Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya observed that the five-member expert medical panel appointed to perform a fresh postmortem into the death of Dinesh Schaffter is still preparing the final report.  
Further magisterial inquiry is fixed for October 16. The body of businessman Dinesh Shaffter was recently exhumed before a panel of medical experts who were appointed to perform a fresh postmortem inquiry.   
On February 27, the Court appointed a five-member-panel of medical experts to perform a fresh postmortem inquiry into the death of businessman Dinesh Shaffter, in order to ascertain whether the death was a murder or suicide.  

  The five-member-panel comprised Professor Asela Mendis (Chairman), Professor B.C.R. Perera, Professor D.H.S. Fernando and two JMO’s Dr. Siva Subramanium and Dr. B.R. Ruwanpura. They have been tasked with performing a fresh inquiry to decide the actual cause of death of businessman Dinesh Shaffter.  

• Further magisterial inquiry is fixed for October 16