Payal Tadvi suicide case: We yelled at doctor to ensure proper patient care, says accused

MUMBAI: The three Nair Hospital doctors arrested for abetting the suicide of junior gynaecologist Payal Tadvi have told the Agripada police they did shout at their juniors but only to get their work done and to ensure that patient care didn’t suffer. According to sources in Agripada police, Dr Bhakti Mehare, Dr Hema Ahuja and Dr Ankita Khandelwal said they had pulled up Payal to get work done and to avoid themselves from being hauled up by their seniors for incomplete or shoddy work.
On Thursday, the case was transferred to the crime branch after Payal’s family, along with medical education minister Girish Mahajan, met the CM over the probe. DCP Manjunath Singe, PRO Mumbai Police said on on Thursday afternoon: “Considering the seriousness and importance of the case, the investigation has been transferred to the crime branch.”
In their statement to Agripada police that gave a glimpse of the hierarchical work structure at civic hospitals, the doctors said they had to “yell” at juniors to ensure that patient care didn't suffer. The three doctors have been booked for ragging, abetting Payal’s suicide and also under the SC/ST (Prevention Of Atrocities) Act.
Earlier, the Agripada police summoned Dr Yi Ching Ling, the head of Payal’s unit, for recording her statement. Payal’s family had verbally complained to Dr Ling about the ‘ill treatment’ of Payal by the trio. “Dr Ling said that after receiving the complaint, she called all the doctors and asked them to work as a team and not ill-treat anyone. The three roommates of Payal have given their statements saying she would frequently talk about facing harassment,” an Agripada police officer said.
Later in the day, the Agripada police team was upset with the case being transferred to the crime branch as an official said they had worked tirelessly to track down the absconding accused and nabbed them from Pune, an Andheri hotel and Fort area. By Thursday night, the team sent all the documents, copies of the statements, panchnama document, seized materials and other pieces of evidence to the crime branch.