Nagpur: Senior doctor found guilty under POSH Act, sacked

NAGPUR: A senior doctor, who shared a photograph of a fellow woman doctor in a WhatsApp group after highlighting a specific portion of her body, has lost his job after a committee formed under The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (POSH Act) found him guilty.
The POSH committee took the decision within days of the victim filing her complaint filed.
Authorities at ESIC hospital at Somwari Peth said that immediately action was taken and the doctor working on contract with the hospital was sacked. Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Meena Deshmukh confirmed this development. “As per law, an internal committee was formed and the action was promptly taken. We ensured justice for the victim within 5 days of filing complaint,” said Dr Deshmukh.
Dr Deshmukh said they follow highest standards of woman safety at workplace. “The guilty doctor issued written apology and also apologized to the victim in front of all others, still she demanded action against him. Respecting her views, the hospital administration discontinued the services of the male doctor,” said the MS.
A felicitation function was organized on Doctor’s Day at the hospital. A woman doctor was among those felicitated. The photographs taken at the function were shared on official WhatsApp group. The accused doctor circulated a photograph highlighting a specific body part of the woman doctor.
This offended the woman doctor and she filed complaint under the POSH Act. As per the law, an internal committee conducted the investigations and found the male doctor guilty. Being an internal matter, no police complaint was filed.
The doctor who lost his job told TOI that he had no wrong intentions. According to him, it happened inadvertently as he is “not that tech-savvy”. The doctor said he respects the decision of POSH committee and is ready to leave the hospital.