However, Shahidan, said there were some injuries which could have been inflicted before the fall.

He said the injuries to the platysma (neck) muscles which were found in the second post-mortem could have resulted from "pressure" placed on them prior to Teoh's fall from the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission's (MACC) Selangor office on July 16 last year.

"I am of the opinion that the injuries suggest that Teoh had died from the fall. Nevertheless, the injuries to the muscles found in the second post mortem suggest that force was applied to Teoh's neck.

"However, this could not have caused Teoh's death as no signs exist to support that," said Shahidan in reply to questions from MACC lawyer Datuk Abdul Razak Musa at the inquest into the death of then 30-year-old Teoh.

When questioned later by counsel aiding the government Tan Hock Chuan, Shahidan said the "pressure" on Teoh's neck could have been caused by a hand or blunt object.

Shahidan had performed a second post-mortem on Teoh on Nov 22 last year after his body was exhumed the previous day. The post-mortem was observed by Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand of the Forensic Science Institute of Thailand, and Dr Peter Vanezis, who represented the Selangor government and MACC respectively.

The post mortem was requested after Pornthip testified on Oct 21 last year that there was an "80% probability" that Teoh's death was a homicide.

Under further questioning by Abdul Razak, Shahidan said the injuries to Teoh's anal region were not due to penetration by a blunt object but to injuries sustained in the fall.

"The sacrum was fractured during the fall and it was inserted back as a result of the fall," he said.

He said Teoh could have been conscious during his fall.

"If Teoh was dead or unconscious before the fall, the pattern and type of injuries would depend on how his body was taken out of the 14th floor. If that was the case, I would assume there was a great possibility he would not have landed on his feet," said Shahidan.

"In my opinion, the deceased was conscious at the time of the fall," he added.

Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand

Shahidan then disputed the claim by Pornthip that the fracture to Teoh's skull was caused by beatings with a blunt object prior to the fall, saying the fracture is consistent with that of a fall.

He pointed out that Teoh was found lying on his right side and his right mandible (jawbone) was also fractured, and said the floor of the fifth-floor landing where Teoh landed could also be considered a blunt object.

Abdul Razak then asked the court to recall pathologists Dr Khairul Ibrahim and Dr Prashant Samberkar who performed the first post-mortem, to explain the discrepancy between the first post-mortem report and later findings.

This was backed by Tan.

However, objections were raised by Selangor government counsel, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar.

Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas decided that the two pathologists would be recalled if necessary.