(1)

When any person is arrested, he shall be examined by a medical officer in the service of Central or State Governments and in case the medical officer is not available by a registered medical petitioner soon after the arrest is made :

Provided that where the arrested person is a female, the examination of the body shall be made only by or under the supervision of a female medical officer, and in case the female medical officer is not available, by a female registered medical practitioner.

(2)

The medical officer or a registered medical practitioner so examining the arrested person shall prepare record of such examination, mentioning therein any injuries or marks of violence upon the persons arrested, and the approximate time when such injuries or marks may have been inflicted.

(3)

Where an examination is made under sub-section (1) a copy of the report of such examination shall be furnished by the medical officer or registered medical practitioner, as the case may be, to the arrested person of the person nominated by such arrested person.]

Prior to its substitution by Act of 5 of 2009, Section 54 read a under :-

54. Examination of arrested person by medical practitioner at the request of the arrested person-(1) When a person who is arrested, whether on a charge or otherwise, alleges, at the time when he is produced before a Magistrate or at any time during the period of his detention in custody that the examination of his body will afford evidence which will disprove the commission by him of any offence or which will establish the commission by any other person any offence against his body, the Magistrate shall, if requested by the arrested person so to do direct the examination of the body of such person by a registered medical practitioner unless the Magistrate considers that the request is made for the purpose of vexation or delay or for defeating the ends of justice.

(2) Where an examination is made under sub-Section (1), a copy of the report of such examination shall be furnished by the registered medical practitioner to the arrested person or the person nominated by such arrested person.

UTTAR PRADESH.- In its application to the State of Uttar Pradesh, in Section 54, insert the following sentence at the end, namely :-

"The registered medical practitioner shall forthwith furnish to the arrested person a copy of the report of such examination free of cost." [U.P. Act No. 1 of 1984, Section 7, w.e.f. 1-5-1984]