Cuttack: The alleged sexual assault of two patients by a senior resident doctor on the campus of SCB Medical College and Hospital (MCH) in Odisha’s Cuttack city seemed premeditated, according to police.
Dismissing allegations of conspiracy levelled by the doctor’s family, Cuttack Additional DCP Anil Mishra said facts and evidence collected during preliminary investigation had made the intention of the accused, Dilbagh Singh Thakur, quite clear. “Instead of conducting the echocardiogram on the victims on Friday, he deliberately shifted it to Sunday. He also violated the standard operating procedure (SOP) by carrying out the test in the absence any female nurse or staff,” he said.
The accused, a native of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, also did not allow the complainant, a relative of the two victims, to remain present during the test in the diagnostic unit of the cardiology department. “Generally, it takes around 15 minutes to conduct an echo test but the accused took 30 minutes for each,” the additional DCP said.
The statements of the victims recorded under section 180 and 183 of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) before magistrate and circumstantial evidence clearly indicated that the doctor committed the heinous crime intentionally, he said, adding that further probe is on to ascertain his antecedents.
The doctor’s wife had earlier claimed that he has been framed and hinted at a conspiracy to spoil his career.
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Meanwhile, the three-member committee constituted by the Health and Family Welfare department visited SCB MCH for an inquiry into the incident. “We conducted an inquiry into the incident and will submit the report to the government on further course of action,” said director of medical education training Dr Santosh Kumar Mishra, who heads the committee.
