Resident doctor alleges sexual harassment at Mumbai Hospital, collaegue booked

Mumbai: Following a complaint by a resident doctor at Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital accusing a consultant of allegedly sexually harassing her in the workplace, the police booked the latter on Wednesday after an FIR was registered. 

The woman is a 27-year-old resident doctor of the Obstetrics and Gynecology department who began experiencing sexual harassment within a month of her joining the institute. After mustering her courage, she approached the police and registered a non-cognisable complaint against the consultant. Later an FIR was registered based on substantial evidence. 

Apart from sexual harassment, the doctor also alleged that the consultant made remarks on her caste and insulted her which deteriorated her mental and physical health rapidly. She was suffering from depression after facing constant harassment at the hospital.

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According to the complainant, she was subject to sexual harassment for the past year, however on July 5 she disclosed her situation to the police. She alleged “It began with him inappropriately touching my upper body parts, pulling me towards himself to try and hug me. I tried to stop him many times but his advances did not stop.” 

Upon getting informed about the alleged harassment, the senior consultant paid no heed and advised her not to take any action as well as ignore the matter. The senior consultant also threatened her with dire consequences if she complained about the matter to anyone in the hospital.

Talking about this to HT, She said, “My senior consultant said I should not report it to the higher-ups as it would spoil my career”. “She said he was married and my complaint would affect his career and personal life. I was forced to keep quiet.”

On the other hand, the doctor also confessed that she was experiencing ragging from another female clinical consultant at the hospital after she told her about her being sexually harassed by the male clinical consultant. Following this, the female consultant degraded her by bringing her lower caste. 

“Apart from the senior in the department, I had spoken to her, however, this woman started ragging me after that, bringing up my lower-caste status repeatedly during conversations and making me do her personal work. They ganged up on me to pressurise me into silence.”

Talking about how the alleged harassment and ragging affected her mental health, she said “I took two months’ leave because I was depressed and suicidal but I was forced to resume a few days ago. I have been taking treatment in a corporate hospital in Hyderabad. My rheumatoid arthritis, too, got triggered because of the severe stress.”

“Our work hours sometimes extend to 48 to 72 hours. We get patients late at night too. Due to his harassment, I stopped going to the sleeping area to rest despite long work schedules," she added.

The doctor claimed that she had earlier written a mail to the hospital authorities informing them about the situation and made several oral complaints within a year. However, no action was taken. In addition, the HR of the hospital also threatened her with dire consequences if she did not take the complaint back. 

After repeated failed attempts to get help from the hospital authorities, she approached the police and filed a non-cognisable complaint against the consultant. Later, the police registered an FIR under section 354 (assaulting or using criminal force against a woman, intending to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the accused was booked. Further investigation into the matter is underway.

In response to the accusations, the hospital said, “We received a complaint of misbehaviour and harassment from one of our resident doctors against another colleague late last week. Taking note of the severity of the allegations, we immediately convened a meeting of the Internal Committee under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act), as well as an Anti-Ragging Committee."

"However, the aforesaid resident doctor did not participate in the proceedings. We have absolutely zero tolerance for any form of harassment or assault, and the safety of our employees and patients is of paramount importance. We will fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as and when an investigation gets underway.”

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