The faculty association of AIIMS has rallied behind senior cardiac surgeon Dr AK Bisoi, opposing the administration’s decision to remove him as Head of the Cardiac Surgery Department following allegations of workplace and sexual harassment made by a female nurse. The association, which convened a general body meeting on Wednesday evening, has decided to demand his reinstatement, sources said.
“The Director has asked us to submit our demands in a memorandum. We believe the removal was unjust and the allegations are not very legitimate. Sometimes, to ensure compliance, seniors speak strictly. Turning that into a harassment charge is unfair,” said a faculty member who attended the meeting.
Sources said the association passed a resolution opposing the move and will soon submit a memorandum to the institute’s director. A protest may also be planned if their demand is not met. The faculty members argued that the removal was “premature” and could set an uncomfortable precedent within the institute. So far, the association has not issued an official statement, and its board members have declined to comment, describing it as an internal matter.
Meanwhile, the AIIMS administration has constituted a fact-finding committee headed by the Dean (Academics) to look into the allegations, said sources. “A committee has been formed that will probe the case and submit its report to the director. The action (Dr Bisoi’s removal as HoD) is part of the process to ensure a fair and just probe,” a senior AIIMS official said.
The complaint was initially raised within the institute but reached the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) after multiple representations to the director failed to prompt action. Later, Dr Bisoi was relieved from his position.
The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of AIIMS has also taken up the case separately. Senior doctors said this is the first instance in recent memory where a department head has been removed following such allegations.
Dr Bisoi has faced controversies in the past as well. In 2019, a nurse accused him of harassment, though no action followed. A decade earlier, in 2009, he was suspended by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare for alleged irregularities.