Allahabad HC stays second suspension order against Dr. Kafeel Khan

Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has stayed the UP government's order suspending Dr Kafeel Khan, a paediatrician, for the second time in 2019 for allegedly creating a nuisance and misbehaving with staff at Bahraich District Hospital.

This was the second time Khan was suspended by the state government.

He was already under suspension following the August 2017 tragedy at BRD Medical College at Gorakhpur, where 60 children had died due to alleged disruption in oxygen supply.

He was also jailed for nine months on charges of medical negligence, corruption and dereliction of duty. In September 2019, the Uttar Pradesh government cleared Khan of all charges and praised him for doing everything he could to help save lives.

Hearing the petition of Khan, in which he had challenged his suspension order on the ground that no inquiry had been concluded against him even after more than two years, Justice Saral Srivastava directed the UP government to conclude the probe related to the 2019 suspension within a month.

The court further directed that the petitioner shall cooperate in the enquiry and in case the petitioner does not cooperate, the disciplinary authority may proceed to conclude the inquiry ex-parte.

While directing to list the case on November 11, 2021, the court said that when the matter is next listed, the respondents shall inform the court about the outcome of the enquiry.

Besides, the court gave the respondent state authorities four weeks' time to file a reply (counter-affidavit).

Khan, during his suspension in August 2017, had been attached to the office of the Director-General Medical Education (DGME) office of Lucknow.

During the period, he visited the Bahraich hospital saying that he was called by the public to treat children affected by Japanese encephalitis.