Hathras gang-rape case takes new turn, Doctor linked terminated

The Hathras gang-rape case has taken a new turn yet again. Dr. Mohammad Azeemuddin Malik, temporary Chief Medical Officer at JN Medical College at Aligarh, was terminated from his services with an immediate effect by medical and university authorities.

They hired a post-graduate student in medicine and former student of same medical college to sub a vacant position of CMO at JNMCH, Aligarh. Because of the breakout of COVID-19, 6 out of 11 CMO were being diagnosed with coronavirus and he was appointed as a temporary CMO. His term was to be extended till November but he abruptly received a letter from CMO in charge, S.A.H, Zaidi regarding the rejection of the extension of appointment as CMO, at JNMCH.

Earlier Dr.Malik has proposed to the hospital authorities to extend his term of services, which was to be completed on November 07, 2020, because he wants to offer his services on humanitarian grounds.

On October 16, 2020, Malik received a letter stating that his proposal to extend his services cannot be taken up further and on October 20, he was terminated from his post by giving him an urgent Notice.

Dr Malik alleged that "it is being done deliberately in response to my statement regarding the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report in Hathras gang-rape, which was published in The Indian Express on October, 05".

The statement reads as, "The samples were collected 11 days after the woman was allegedly raped, and forensic evidence of rape can only be found within 96 hours after the incident, hence this report can't confirm whether rape was done or not". The victim was admitted to JNMC hospital before being shifted to Safdarjung Hospital at Delhi.

He further said, "His colleague Dr. Obaid Imteyazul Haque is also terminated and we are facing the wrath of speaking. I have written to authorities seeking the reasons for our termination."

However, Uttar Pradesh Police has insisted time and again that Hathras gang-rape murder victim was never raped but lawyers, doctors are claiming that MLC report of the victim has revealed that rape was done and FSL report and claims of police are contradictory in this case.

We tried to reach out to Principal of JNMCH, Dr. Shahid Siddiqui and Vice-Chancellor, but couldn't get a response in.