Days after being sacked, Dr Kafeel Khan moves RTI appeal for suspension details

Written by Sanchari Chattopadhyay Published On 2021-11-19T09:15:14+05:30 | Updated On 2021-11-19T09:15:40+05:30

Days after being sacked, Dr Kafeel Khan moves RTI appeal for suspension details

Lucknow: Days after the Uttar Pradesh government dismissed suspended Dr Kafeel Khan of Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College and Hospital from service, the doctor has moved an inquiry under the Right to Information Act (RTI) seeking details of the suspension.The doctor claimed that till now he has not received any official documentation regarding his dismissal.Medical Dialogues team had...

Lucknow: Days after the Uttar Pradesh government dismissed suspended Dr Kafeel Khan of Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College and Hospital from service, the doctor has moved an inquiry under the Right to Information Act (RTI) seeking details of the suspension.

The doctor claimed that till now he has not received any official documentation regarding his dismissal.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that the paediatrician was sacked after being found guilty in the probe into the circumstances leading to the death of children in the hospital, UP Principal Secretary (Medical Education) Alok Kumar had stated. He had been suspended in 2017 after the death of 70 children due to a lack of oxygen supply to the hospital.

On March 5, 2019, the Allahabad High court had asked the UP Government to end the inquiry and on April 18, 2019, the high court had given him a clean chit, the doctor claimed. The UP government again set up an inquiry against him on February 24, 2020, and on August 6, 2021, the state government declared in front of the court that they are withdrawing the inquiry order of the then Chief Secretary Himanshu Kumar. On November 10, 2021, there was a date in the court but the government did not submit any papers regarding termination. The next court date is on December 7, 2021.

Also Read: Suspended Dr Kafeel Khan terminated from service, says will go to court

In his recent RTI appeal addressed to Alok Kumar, the doctor stated that the officer in question, on November 10 and 11, informed journalists that the doctor's services has been terminated from his post at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College, Gorakhpur as he had been found guilty of what is known as the oxygen tragedy which led to the death of infants. "Till date, I have not been informed through any medium" of the decision the appeal says.

It also notes that the High Court where the matter is sub judice has not been given any information about the issue though on November 11- when the court was in session regarding his case.

Amidst 168 doctors and 1000s of employees, Khan was the only one found guilty.

"As the junior most doctor who was on leave, I had tried to do my utmost to help the children. It is in the inquiry that efforts were made to get oxygen cylinders. But who made those efforts?", the doctor told The Week.

The doctor asserted that the government inquiry had already found him not guilty of the medical negligence that he is now being charged with as a reason for his removal from service.

Source : with inputs

Sanchari Chattopadhyay

Sanchari Chattopadhyay has pursued her M.A in English and Culture Studies from the University of Burdwan, West Bengal. She likes observing cultural specificities and exploring new places.