Cuttack: A senior doctor of Sri Ram Chandra Bhanja (SCB) Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack was arrested on Tuesday night following allegations of sexual assault levelled against him by two patients while the Odisha government has set up a three-member committee to probe into the case. However, the family members of the doctor have demanded an impartial probe, claiming that the incident had been misinterpreted.
The alleged incident occurred on August 11 when two women had visited the hospital for an echocardiogram (ECHO) test. A second-year medical student of the hospital, who was the daughter of one of the patients, had accompanied them but was not allowed inside the room where ECHO was performed.
After the test, the women complained that they were allegedly sexually assaulted by the accused, a senior resident doctor of the hospital's Cardiology Department. They lodged a complaint at Mangalabag police station against the doctor after which, a probe was initiated.
However, the accused doctor was allegedly assaulted by victims' family members, resulting which, he had to be admitted to the hospital's ICU. An FIR was filed and the doctor was arrested by the police on August 13.
Confirming the arrest, Cuttack additional DCP Anil Mishra said, "We have received a complaint on Aug 11 at Mangalabag police station from two women, who had gone for an ECHO earlier on that day. As per norms, ECHO should be performed on female patients in the presence of a woman but no one was present inside the room during the complainants' ECHO. Even the second-year student was not allowed entry during the test. Later, the women complained that they were sexually assaulted by the doctor. A case was registered, investigations held and based on some evidence, the doctor was arrested.”
In view of the allegations levelled against the doctor, the state government has formed a three-member committee, comprising Prof. Santosh Kumar Mishra (DMET), Prof. Sudhansu Sekhar Mishra (Superintendent, SCB MCH, Cuttack), and Prof. Roman Ratan (Joint DMET), to conduct an inquiry and recommend appropriate action. The Health and Family Welfare Department has issued an order in this regard, Mishra said.
The case has sparked significant controversy, with the accused doctor’s family denying the allegations. The doctor's father-in-law, argued that the accusations were baseless and claimed that the ECHO procedure, which necessitates physical contact, was being misconstrued. He called for the examination of CCTV footage and stated that if found guilty, the doctor should be punished. He also stressed that the doctor has served at the hospital for three years but never faced any such complaint before.
"The complainant is around 55 to 60 years old and has said that the doctor touched her. Without touching how can ECHO test be performed? If a doctor does not touch a patient, then how can he/she be treated? The complainant is the mother of a medical student and so the doctor went ahead to examine her. However, later he was falsely implicated. He was thrashed by the relatives and few students following which, he became unconscious. After gaining consciousness, an FIR was lodged against him. The CCTV footage should be checked and if he is found guilty, he should face severe punishment. He has spent three years here and no such complaint has ever been levelled against him. Will he misbehave with a 60-year-old lady?" he asked.
Echoing the same, the accused doctor's wife defended him, asserting that he was targeted as part of a conspiracy and demanded an impartial investigation into the case. She said that her husband was performing the test as a goodwill gesture to the fellow medical student.
"He was alone when assaulted and regained consciousness at around 11 pm. The woman involved is approximately 52 to 55 years old. He was called by the student to perform an ECHO test on her mother, and he went as a goodwill gesture. He wouldn’t have gone if the patient was an outsider. I know he is innocent, and I demand an impartial probe. This is a conspiracy against him," she said.
As the investigation continues, the case has drawn attention to the protocols followed during medical examinations and the importance of ensuring patient safety and trust within healthcare institutions.
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Odisha Doctor Arrested for 'Raping' 2 Patients at SCB Medical College And Hospital
