Section 173: Police inquiry

173. Police inquiry (1) No permit for the cremation or burning of the body of a deceased person who was not attended by a medical practitioner shall be granted, until after an inquiry held by the Police, with the assistance of a medical practitioner appointed and paid by the persons applying for the permit. (2) The application shall be accompanied by— (a) the certificate of the probable cause of death from the medical practitioner appointed under subsection (1); (b) certificates from 2 persons who knew the deceased stating that, to the best of their knowledge and belief, the deceased died from natural causes. [Issue 1] P49 – 44 Revised Laws of Mauritius (3) Where a judicial inquiry followed by an autopsy has taken place, the application may be accompanied by a certificate from the medical practitioner who performed the operation and the certificate shall be deemed proof of the nature of the cause of death of the deceased. (4) The police inquiry under subsection (1) shall be forwarded to the Permanent Secretary who, before granting a permit, may further require— (a) such information as he thinks necessary; (b) an autopsy to be performed by a medical practitioner, other than a medical practitioner appointed by the parties under subsection (1).