183. Medical examination of victim of rape.
(1) When a woman is the victim of rape or attempt to commit rape, she shall be examined by a registered medical practitioner employed in a hospital run by the Government or a local authority and in the absence of such a practitioner, by any other registered medical practitioner, with the consent of such woman or of a person competent to give such consent on her behalf, and such woman shall be sent to such registered medical practitioner within twenty-four hours from the time of receiving the information relating to the commission of such offence.
(2) The registered medical practitioner, to whom such woman is sent shall, without delay, examine her and prepare a report of his examination giving the following particulars, namely:—
- the name and address of the woman and of the person by whom she was brought;
- the age of the woman;
- the description of material taken from the person of the woman for DNA profiling;
- marks of injury, if any, on the person of the woman;
- general mental condition of the woman; and
- other material particulars in reasonable detail.
(3) The report shall state precisely the reasons for each conclusion arrived at.
(4) The report shall specifically record that the consent of the woman or of the person competent to give such consent on her behalf to such examination had been obtained.
(5) The exact time of commencement and completion of the examination shall also be noted in the report.
(6) The registered medical practitioner shall, without delay, forward the report to the investigating officer, who shall forward it to the Magistrate referred to in section 193 as part of the documents referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (5) of that section.