चिकित्सकः प्रच्छन्नव्रणप्रतीकारकारयितारमपथ्यकारिणं च गृहस्वामी च निवेद्य गोपस्थानिकयोर्मुच्येत अन्यथा तुल्यदोषः स्यात् ॥ कZ_०२.३६.१० ॥
cikitsakaḥ pracchannavraṇapratīkārakārayitāram apathyakāriṇaṃ ca gṛhasvāmī ca nivedya gopasthānikayor mucyeta anyathā tulyadoṣaḥ syāt
A physician—and likewise a householder—shall report one who seeks treatment for concealed wounds and one who acts against prescribed regimen; by reporting, he is absolved before the gopa and sthānika authorities; otherwise, he incurs equal guilt.
Hidden injuries can be evidence of violence, theft, or flight from justice; physicians become key nodes for detecting offenders.
Imposing ‘equal guilt’ for non-reporting turns private actors into compliance partners and reduces safe havens for criminals.