Police file complaint in AIIMS child abuse case

NEW DELHI - The Delhi Police Monday registered a complaint accusing a junior resident doctor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences of molesting an eight-year-old boy who had come to the hospital for treatment, an official said.

“We have only registered a complaint against the doctor and started investigations,” a police official said, clarifying that the first information report has not yet been filed.

According to AIIMS, a three-member fact-finding committee headed by head of department of endocrinology and metabolism, A.C. Ammini has been set up which will submit its report within seven days.

Meanwhile, the accused doctor has been barred from attending the Out Patient Department pending the inquiry report.

The victim, a resident of northeast Delhi, was admitted to the neurosurgery ward for a brain tumour operation Jan 18.

He underwent surgery on Jan 20, and was scheduled to be discharged four days later. But, on Jan 24, the father submitted a complaint that his son had been sodomised by the doctor, the day before (Jan 23).

The complaint registered by the father said that the doctor took the child to the duty room Jan 23 evening, a day after he was operated upon, and abused him sexually. The victim’s father said his son would be able to identify the doctor by face.

According to the parents, the doctor had told the boy to keep quiet and threatened him with dire consequences. But the boy narrated the incident to his father after returning home from hospital.

Upon receiving the formal complaint, AIIMS set up a three-member committee to look into the allegations.

The first meeting was held on Jan 28, where the victim and the parents were also called.

According to sources, the boy also underwent a psychological test, where he again repeated his story.

The committee has also questioned doctors, nurses and other staff who were on duty on Jan 23 night.

Even though the hospital authorities are not revealing the name of the junior doctor, sources say he has been unofficially asked not to report to duty. The accused is a final-year medical student. He was on night duty in the intensive care unit of AIIMS’ neurosurgery department.