Mumbai: Doctor booked for sexually assaulting male coronavirus patient

Mateen Hafeez | TNN | Updated: May 4, 2020, 17:41 IST

Illustration used for representational purpose

MUMBAI: The Agripada police on Monday booked a doctor, who was working at a well-known hospital in south Mumbai, for allegedly sexually assaulting a 44-year-old makle Covid-19 patient.
Police said the incident took place on May 1. No arrest has been in connection with the case made so far. However, the hospital administration has sacked the doctor.
The 34-year-old accused doctor had joined the hospital on April 30.
“The doctor, an MD, worked only for a day. The patient, was also admitted at the hospital on April 30. Soon after the hospital authorities were told about the incident, they terminated the services of the doctor and approached the police to lodge a complaint.
The doctor allegedly entered the patient’s room in the ICU and made physical advances towards him. The patient tried to resist and raised an alarm. He later narrated his ordeal to the hospital staff.
Later, the HR department of the hospital lodged a complaint with the police. The police booked the accused under IPC sections 377 (unnatural offences), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of diseases endangering life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of diseases endangering life) etc.
Since the doctor was in direct contact with the Covid-positive patient, he has been sent under home quarantine in Thane for two weeks. “We will question him once his quarantined period is over. He was in direct contact with a positive patient so we are taking precaution and will question him once the quarantine period is over,” said a senior police officer.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)