KEM Hospital Professor Accused of Sexual Harassment by 6 Doctors, Suspended

Mumbai: A senior doctor at the BMC-run KEM Hospital in Parel has been suspended after a complaint was filed against him by six women doctors, who accused him of sexual harassment. The doctor has also been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 74 (acts of unwelcome physical contact, advances, or sexually coloured remarks), 75 (use of criminal force with intent to outrage modesty) and 79 (protection from actions intended to insult modesty).

Meanwhile, taking action against the doctor, who works as a Professor in the forensic medicine and toxicology department at the hospital, the hospital has now barred him from attending work or taking up any work linked to his profession privately, TOI has reported.

The action has been taken after the doctors filed the complaint against doctor on April 12 at Bhoiwada police station and in the complaint, they detailed multiple instances of inappropriate sexual conduct. They also submitted a written complaint to the head of the forensic medicine department Dr. Harish Pathak and the dean of the hospital Dr. Sangeeta Rawat, on April 10.

The previous day i.e. on April 9, the six doctors reportedly approached the doctor's wife as well and told her about their experiences. Addressing this, the FIR mentioned, "She assured us she would speak to him and that he would stop his misbehaviour."

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The professor's lawyer, Tamhankar, has approached the sessions court seeking anticipatory bail. The matter has been listed for hearing today.

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, after receiving the complaint, Bhoiwada police station pasted a notice on the door of the doctor's residence inside KEM campus asking him to present himself for questioning. Commenting on this, senior police inspector Sachin Kadam informed that the notice was pasted after repeated attempts to reach the doctor failed. He added, "His phone is switched off and teams sent to his house on at least three occasions found the door locked."

Meanwhile, the civic authorities and the hospital's central internal complaints committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act have also instituted their own probes.

Amid the allegations of sexual harassment, the doctor recently told TOI on a WhatsApp call, "I have full faith in the judiciary. I am aware of the complaint and will cooperate with the POSH committee and police."

Commenting on the matter, Dr. Rawat informed that back in 2021, a similar complaint was filed by a doctor against the accused professor. Later, the complainant had moved abroad and could not pursue the case. Dr. Rawat added, "This time, I escalated the matter to the additional municipal chief and director, BMC hospitals."

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