Acting Chairman of the Haryana State Commission for Women, Preeti Bhardwaj Dalal, also visited the victim Saturday.Days after a woman admitted at Fortis Hospital in Gurgaon alleged she was raped, police have scoured 30 hours of CCTV footage and questioned people employed at the hospital by the first name Vikas — a name the woman had provided to her family while making the allegation.
“She had been on a ventilator until Friday evening… She was declared fit for statement today, which was taken. However, based on CCTV footage, interrogation of hospital staff, and the victim’s statements, allegations of rape have not been confirmed. Investigation is on,” said Subhash Boken, PRO, Gurgaon Police.
According to police, the woman was admitted to the hospital on October 21 as she was suffering from tuberculosis and was in a semi-conscious state. On Tuesday, while her father was visiting, she alleged through signals and written words that a man named “Vikas” had raped her. An FIR had been registered the same day.
ACP (Crime) Usha Kundu said the patient made “certain claims” that are being investigated. “She stated it is possible she was raped, but is uncertain about what happened. She spoke of certain words that were used by the team doing her X-ray in the initial days of her admission, which may have planted the thought in her head, such as the team members asking if she was pregnant. She said one of the women also mentioned the name ‘Vikas’, used words such as ‘expose’ and ‘intimate’… She said the team also spoke of taking pictures and putting them on Facebook… It is possible some words were misunderstood… we are making enquiries from the team,” she said.
Acting Chairman of the Haryana State Commission for Women, Preeti Bhardwaj Dalal, also visited the victim Saturday: “Her statement has been taken before psychological councillors, legal experts and the medical superintendent. The judicial magistrate is also being requested to come to the hospital and take her statement. Safety of the woman and her health are our topmost priority; we have given directions to safeguard the same.”
Fortis Hospital, in a statement Saturday, said, “… we are glad to inform that with continuous efforts of our medical team, the patient is stable now… We continue to support authorities to conclude the investigation. With 58% female staff, women’s dignity and safety is our utmost priority…”