Intensivist arrested for sexually assaulting a patient

Mumbai: A DnB senior resident doctor, working in the intensive care unit at the Dr Balabhai Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a patient, six months ago. The said doctor has been booked under section 376C (d) of the India Penal Code, which concerns rape by a doctor.

This came after a complaint was filed by a 28 year old patient who alleged that the doctor (name withheld) had assaulted her during her stay at the hospital. The patient had been admitted to the hospital on June 5 this year, after overdosing on sleeping pills, the police confirmed to Mumbai Mirror. She alleged that the doctor assaulted her, putting his finger in her vagina on the pretext of examining her.

“She has said that the doctor told her that it was part of the treatment,” the police said.

She was released from the hospital soon afterwards. Mumbai mirror further adds that while the woman did not apparently want to file a complaint, but eventually did so because she said the accused had continued to call her and ask her for sexual favors, the police said. The doctor was arrested on Wednesday and spent a night in the lockup

The hospital on its part has come out with the statement, stating that its cooperating fully with the investigation.

“Though the hospital acknowledges the high professional ethics and fine track record of the doctor in question, we are carrying out [a] departmental inquiry to ascertain the facts and suitable action would be initiated as per the standard protocols,” the hospital statement read.

On the issue of CCTV footage at the hospital, it was revealed that while the whole hospital is covered by a CCTV, it does not save the footage for more than a month. “We wish to categorically state that safety and security of every patient is our outmost priority and responsibility, and the same will not be compromised under any circumstances,” the hospital’s statement added.