Dr Payal Tadvi’s family seeks justice as prosecution holds department head accountable for alleged harassment | File Photo
Mumbai: While the trial is yet to begin in the 2019 case of Dr Payal Tadvi, who ended her life due to alleged caste-based harassment, the prosecution has sought to implicate her department head Dr Ching Ling. It argued that she is also responsible for the suicide, given her inaction on complaints made by Tadvi, who was a resident doctor at BYL Nair Hospital, and her family against the three senior doctors.
Special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat had last month moved a plea before the special SC/ST court, pleading to implicate Dr Ling. The court has asked the accused and complainants to respond to the plea.
Citing Tadvi’s mother Abeda’s complaint, the prosecution said that the latter had informed Dr Ling how the trio accused – Dr Ankita Khandelwal, Dr Bhakti Mehare and Dr Hema Ahuja – were harassing her daughter. However, the department head turned a deaf ear to the complaint, said Gharat. According to Abeda’s complaint, Dr Ling instead said that such incidents do happen in the institute.
“Instead of taking the action against the chargesheeted accused, the proposed accused (Dr Ling) encouraged and provoked them. Thus, by her act of omission to prevent the offence and advising the victim that she had to bear such trouble and work, she has furthered and facilitated the commission of offence,” said Gharat.
Besides, the prosecution relied on the statements given by Tadvi’s immediate colleagues. According to Gharat, they said, “Except giving a warning, Dr Ling did nothing. She refused the request of Tadvi and her relatives to change her unit.”
Accusing the department head of not taking proper steps to prevent the harassment, Gharat said that torture, ragging and ill-treatment of the victim by the chargesheeted accused was increased to such a level that she committed suicide.
To corroborate the serious charge, the prosecution also relied on the report of the ragging prevention committee. “The committee has unanimously come to the conclusion about the acts of omissions by the proposed accused and recommended an appropriate administrative action,” pointed out Gharat.
