Chennai Doctor from RGGGH gets 10-year-jail for raping colleague

Chennai: Holding a Chennai-based doctor guilty of raping his female colleague back in 2021, a Special Court for women has sentenced him to 10-year-jail term on Friday.

The concerned medical professional, allegedly sexually assaulted a lady doctor at a quarantine facility in T Nagar during COVID-19 pandemic when he was working at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), adds TOI.

Apart from issuing orders convicting the doctor under IPC Section 376 (I), the Mahila Court judge T N Mohammed Farooq has also directed the doctor for paying a fine of Rs 20,000 to the rape survivor and also recommended compensation to the lady doctor under relevant provisions.

Also Read: 2 Tamil Nadu doctors who raped colleagues terminated from service

As per the latest media report by One India, back in 2021 when COVID-19 infection was at its peak, the State Health Department had made arrangements for rooms in the hotels for government doctors involved in treating COVID patients. Such arrangement had been made for ensuring that the doctors were isolated and they could work in rotation. The accused doctor was working at RGGGH Chennai back then and he was staying at a private hotel in Thiagaraya Nagar. The same quarantine facility was also hosting the female doctors working in that hospital.

While staying at the facility, the accused doctor allegedly sexually assaulted a female doctor. Following this, the lady doctor lodged a complaint before the Dean of the Hospital. On the basis of the complaint, the 'Visakha' committee of the hospital conducted an inquiry into the alleged incident. After confirming that the doctor had raped the concerned female colleague, a case was registered at Thenampet All Women Police Station.

Medical Dialogues had reported back in 2021 that the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), the apex body that administers government medical college hospitals in Tamil Nadu had terminated the services of two doctors of RGGGH Chennai after they got arrested for allegedly raping their colleagues.

The officials stated that the two doctors were non-service postgraduates working at the hospital, who were involved in COVID duty. They were arrested for allegedly raping a woman doctor and for molesting another woman doctor while they were staying at a hotel during the quarantine period while on COVID duty.

Allegedly the incidents took place separately on August 5 and September 6 respectively in the five-star hotel where they were staying during their Covid-19 isolation period. The accused doctors were on short-contract COVID duty. Both the women had filed separate cases against the accused to the hospital dean.

The Times of India adds that after an FIR was lodged before Teynampet all-women police, a chargesheet was filed before the Mahila Court. While considering the matter, judge T H Mohammed Farooq convicted the doctor under IPC section 376 (I).

Apart from this, the judge also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 and ordered the doctor to pay another Rs 20,000 as compensation the victim doctor as penalty.

Also Read:TN: 2 Govt doctors allegedly molest, rape colleague during COVID duty, held