KOCHI: The crime branch probing the sexual harassment case against conman Monson Mavunkal has registered a fresh case against two doctors at Ernakulam Medical College Hospital for mentally harassing the woman when she was taken there for medical examination.
However, the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) condemned the crime branch’s move claiming that the doctors had only asked questions that were usually asked to victims in Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) cases. The case was registered against two unnamed doctors of the gynaecology department who, the young woman said, she could identify. Before registering the case, the crime branch team recorded her statement.
The crime branch will record the statements of the doctors in the gynaecology department to identify the doctors who were allegedly involved in the incident. The investigation team will also check the CCTV footage at the hospital to corroborate the allegations against the doctors. It was on October 27 that the woman, who had been sexually harassed by Monson since 2019 when she was only 17, was taken to the MCH for a medical examination before recording her statement before the magistrate.
The woman alleged she was mentally harassed by doctors who asked certain questions. They agreed to examine her only after making her wait for one-and-a-half hours. She was told that Monson’s son had studied at the same medical college. When she reminded the doctors that she had to appear before the magistrate, she was locked up in a room. However, she escaped from the room and deposed to the magistrate about the incident.
The magistrate then directed her to undergo the same medical examination at Ernakulam General Hospital. The woman had filed a complaint against the doctors at Kalamassery police station and Ernakulam women’s police station. The matter was later taken up by the crime branch which registered the case. The woman’s mother was an employee of Monson’s firm and he had allegedly sexually abused her at his house since 2019. The crime branch is also probing another case based on the complaint by the woman against Monson’s assistant, Joshy, for sexually harassing her.
Meanwhile, the Ernakulam unit of KGMCTA, in a press statement, termed the case registered against the doctors by the crime branch fabricated to put them under pressure. According to KGMCTA, contrary to the woman’s claim, her name was registered in the gynaecology OP document by around 1.30pm. She was examined by the assistant professor, who was the duty doctor, as per the direction of department head. “All procedures adopted in Pocso cases were followed by the duty doctor.
The doctor has to give details regarding the incident in the certificate issued by the medical department in Pocso cases. In several instances, such revelations made before doctors turn crucial during the trial stage of Pocso cases. In medico-legal cases of such nature, the statement is recorded behind the door in the presence of a witness. The doctors only followed the procedure set in such cases,” stated KGMCTA.
According to KGMCTA, the medical examination of the victim started at 2pm. It was the police officers who had forcibly taken the woman away around 3pm even when the examination had not been completed. The duty doctor reported the matter and gave a written complaint to the medical college authorities.
Statements to be recorded
The crime branch will record the statements of the doctors in the gynaecology department to identify the
doctors who were allegedly involved in the incident.