Man’s body exhumed after 10 months

Almost 10 months after his death, the body of Melwin Fernandes, a hotel management professional who committed suicide in the United States, was exhumed to conduct a post-mortem and retrieve DNA samples on Friday.

Worli police and forensic experts from Nair Hospital conducted the exhumation, apparently after the family alleged that 37-year-old Melwin is not the biological father of his 10-day old son, claiming infidelity on the part of his wife. Melwin, who used to work as a manager in Virginia-based hotel in the US, had committed suicide in August 2015 by hanging himself.

Melwin, the youngest of three children and the only son and breadwinner of his family, had completed a hotel management degree in Mumbai. His father, a retired driver, had pooled together Rs 3.5 lakh to send him to the US in 2005. The family was however devastated last year after they received the news of his suicide on August 14. Unable to muster the finances to bring his body back to the country, the family had received monetary help from more than 400 individuals from different parts of the world who donated about Rs 20 lakh to transport the body back to India.

However, in a sudden turn of events, Worli police officials said the family alleged that they wanted to know the exact cause of his death since no post-mortem was conducted before he was laid to rest. The family also moved in an application to conduct a DNA test to ascertain if his baby boy, who was born 10 days ago, is biologically related to him.

“After taking permissions, the spot of burial was visited by forensic experts from Nair Hospital and investigating officers on Friday. His bones and teeth samples were retrieved for DNA sampling and his post-mortem was also done. We are investigating the matter,” said senior police officer Vinay Kulkarni from Worli police station.

Forensic experts said as the doctors from Virginia had mentioned that the death had taken place due to hanging, they also reached similar a conclusion after the post-mortem. Blood and hair samples will also be collected from the baby boy and Melwin’s father Luis to establish their biological relationship.

Melwin’s sister Carmaline, who did not want to comment on the allegation of biological relationship between Melwin and the baby boy, said they wanted to know the exact cause of death of Melwin, which is why they requested exhumation. “The money gathered through crowdfunding never reached us while they were supposed to give the remaining money to our father who was solely dependent on Melwin for the finances. His relation with his wife was also objectionable. We did not know if they were married. This is why we requested the Worli police station to intervene,” said Ms Carmaline.