NEW DELHI: In an unprecedented decision, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi has removed Dr. A.K. Bisoi from the post of Head of its Cardiac Surgery Department following allegations of sexual harassment and character assassination levelled against him by a female nurse.
The institute has handed over the charge to Dr. V. Devagourou, a senior professor in the same department, with immediate effect.
The action came after a series of complaints were made by the AIIMS Nurses' Union to the institute’s director, first on September 30, and subsequently on October 4 and 7. However, the matter gained urgency after the union escalated the complaint to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on October 9, detailing the victim’s ordeal and the administration's inaction.
“In view of the complaint dated 30.09.2025 received from a female nursing officer of the Department of CTVS against Dr. A.K. Bisoi, Professor and Head of CTVS, and the representations in that regard received from the AIIMS Nurses’ Union dated 30.09.2025, 04.10.2025, and 07.10.2025, the Director has assigned the charge of Head of the Department of CTVS to Dr. V. Devagourou, Professor of CTVS, with immediate effect, till further orders,” the institute’s official order stated.
According to senior doctors, this is the first instance in the institute's recent history where a department head has been removed from the position over such allegations.
While Dr. Bisoi has been relieved of his administrative duties, the inquiry is still underway. "The matter will now be referred to the institute’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) for further investigation," an official said.
While the exact remarks allegedly made to the complainant, as mentioned in the complaint, cannot be reproduced, the language has been described as sexually abusive and deeply derogatory, aimed at tarnishing the complainant’s character and dignity. “These remarks were not only sexist, vulgar, and demeaning, but they also constitute serious character assassination,” the complaint states.
The union further alleged that Dr. Bisoi frequently made “vulgar, unprofessional, and derogatory comments” during ICU rounds, in wards, and inside operation theatres.
Dr. Bisoi has been mired in controversies and similar allegations in the past as well. In 2019, a female nurse accused him of harassment, though no disciplinary action followed. In 2009, he was suspended by the Union Health Ministry for alleged involvement in irregular activities.
