GORAKHPUR: Over two years after suspension from BRD Medical College here following the death of children over alleged shortage of oxygen cylinders, the then principal and a professor joined duty even as a department inquiry is pending against them.
Dr Rajiv Mishra and Dr Satish Kumar returned to work on Thursday after a government order revoked their suspension, the current college principal Dr Ganesh Kumar said on Friday.
Dr Mishra has been posted as faculty in the pathology department and Dr Satish Kumar as faculty in the anaesthesia department.
Though they have joined the medical college, a departmental inquiry against them will continue, the principal said.
Speaking to PTI, Dr Mishra's son Dr Purak Mishra said, "I'm very happy that justice prevailed and after 2.5 years of struggle, my father has been reinstated at BRD Medical College. Both my father and Dr Satish Kumar joined on Thursday."
The doctors were jailed after an FIR was registered against nine accused including Dr Mishra and Dr Satish Kumar on August 23, 2017.
Around 30 children died at the college on August 10 and 11, 2017, reportedly due to shortage of liquid oxygen.
Dr Mishra was the principal of the college at that time and charged with Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Supreme Court had granted him bail on July 3, 2018.
Dr Satish Kumar, stock in-charge and head of the anaesthesia department, was booked under Sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 466 (forgery of record), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation) and 471 (using as genuine a forged record) of IPC and certain provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Allahabad High Court had granted him bail in May 2018.
The suspension of Dr Kafeel Khan, who was a lecturer in the paediatrics department of the college at the time, is yet to be revoked.
He is presently in jail under charges of the stringent National Security Act for alleged hate speech during an anti-citizenship law protest.