KGMU conversion case: UP STF report flags alleged organised network

Lucknow: King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, has come under scrutiny after a Special Task Force (STF) investigation by the Uttar Pradesh Police reportedly uncovered an alleged organised network involving religious coercion, sexual exploitation, and attempts to force female resident doctors and nursing staff into conversion. 

The investigation, initiated following directions from the Uttar Pradesh government, reportedly identified multiple incidents in which female medical professionals and nursing employees were allegedly lured into relationships through false promises of marriage, sexually exploited and subsequently pressured to change their religion.

Also Read:KGMU Conversion case: Key co-accused arrested for coercing victims

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that, in a major breakthrough, police have arrested a key co-accused in the ongoing religious conversion and sexual exploitation case at King George’s Medical University (KGMU). The accused, who was carrying a reward of Rs 25,000, was apprehended late Thursday near Mehndi Ghat crossing in Lucknow’s Thakurganj by a joint team of the Western Zone Surveillance Unit and Chowk police.

Taking cognisance of the investigation findings, the Medical Education Department has intervened. Joint Secretary Anand Kumar Tripathi has reportedly written to the KGMU Registrar, directing the university administration to initiate departmental proceedings against the doctors and staff members named in the report and submit a detailed compliance report.

The inquiry outlines specific allegations across Gandhi Ward, Pathology, Radiology, and Microbiology departments. In Gandhi Ward, three separate instances were highlighted involving nursing staff and resident doctors. A Nursing employee faces allegations of entrapping a female colleague, subjecting her to physical and mental harassment, and pressuring her into religious conversion and marriage. A second nursing staff member stands accused of sexually exploiting another female colleague and attempting to persuade her to change her religion. In the same ward, a resident doctor allegedly entrapped two nursing staff members with false promises of marriage and subjected them to sexual exploitation, leading to the registration of an FIR in one of the cases, reports the 420.

Similar coercion was documented in academic departments. In the Pathology Department, a resident doctor has been accused of trapping a Hindu junior resident doctor in a relationship, pressuring her to convert her religion and marrying her without disclosing his existing marital status.

The woman reportedly faced persistent harassment and subsequently attempted suicide. An FIR was registered in connection with the matter.

In the Radiology Department, a resident doctor was accused of targeting a colleague and another female doctor. He allegedly threatened to ruin their careers and fail them in institutional examinations if they resisted religious conversion.

Additionally, in the Microbiology Department, a 50-year-old contractual worker was accused of pressuring a female Hindu employee for conversion and marriage. The inquiry reportedly found that despite the constitution of an investigation committee, the university administration failed to take effective action against the accused. Instead, the female complainant allegedly lost her contractual employment

The inquiry has also named a doctor who was in charge of the biochemistry laboratory within the Pathology Department. He was accused of promoting radical religious influence within the institution, providing free medical tests to Muslim individuals and subjecting Hindu employees to allegedly discriminatory workplace practices, including punitive double shifts. The report further alleges that he pressured colleagues to offer namaz and extended institutional support to the accused resident doctor. 

The STF report has also raised concerns over the alleged role of senior faculty members in shielding the accused and suppressing complaints filed by female doctors and other employees.

According to the 420 report, the Pathology Department Head, a Professor, and an Additional Professor have been named in the report. Investigators allege that both officials repeatedly defended the accused rather than taking appropriate action on complaints submitted by female doctors.

The dossier further claims that junior residents faced administrative pressure to withdraw their complaints.

Other senior faculty members, including a professor from the Medicine Department and three faculty members from Biochemistry, have also reportedly been named for allegedly extending institutional support to those accused.

Also Read:KGMU conversion case under STF probe, says UP Women's Commission chief