AIIMS forensic dept to probe Muthoot Group chief's death

The forensic department of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has constituted a board of three senior doctors to probe the cause of death of MG George Muthoot, chairman of the Muthoot Group. The 71-year-old Muthoot died on Friday night after he fell from the fourth floor of his house in East of Kailash, New Delhi, said Delhi Police.

"Muthoot Group Chairman MG George Muthoot fell from 4th floor of a building in East of Kailash, Delhi yesterday. He was rushed to Fortis Escort Hospital & was declared dead during treatment. Today, his postmortem was conducted. No foul play is suspected," cops told news agency ANI.

Dr Sudhir Kumar Gupta, professor and head of the department of forensic medicine, AIIMS, said they are probing the case from all angles as it is a case of fall from a height and is "not a natural death."

The team will look at three angles. One, whether the injury George Muthoot sustained is consistent with a fall from a four-storey building; second, whether there is a sign of intoxication on the body, for which a chemical test is required.

AIIMS conducted Muthoot's postmortem on Saturday morning. "We also want to understand the antemortem or post-mortem injuries," Gupta added.  

Gupta added, "We have video-graphed the postmortem. Procedures were also done for further laboratory test, histological and chemical tests. We are now keeping the opinion pending, and only after that can we ascertain if it is a suicide or an accident or a case of homicide."

The AIIMS forensic team will start the assessment on Monday. "We will be able to arrive at a conclusion within a week or 10 days," Gupta said.

According to an official of the company, the chairperson died on Friday of a heart attack. However, family sources said he had a fall in the house and could not be saved.

"MG George Muthoot's sudden and unexpected demise will be an irreparable loss to the Company, employees, all stakeholders, family, and friends. All directors and employees of the Company convey deep sympathy, sorrow and condolences to his family," the Muthoot Finance said in a regulatory filing without giving a reason for the cause of death.

MG George Muthoot was for long based in the National Capital even though his diversified group that runs over 20 businesses from gold loans to securities, realty estate to infrastructure, hospitals to hospitality and education, is headquartered in Kochi, making it one of the largest business houses in the state.

MG George was responsible for scaling up the Muthoot Group's presence beyond the southern region by expanding its branch presence across north, east and west and thereby transforming the company into a pan India organisation.

Muthoot leaves behind his wife Sara George and two sons. While eldest son George M George is the executive director of the group, the youngest son Alexander George is the director of the group. His second son Paul Muthoot George was murdered in 2009.

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