Dr. Azeem Malik is a temporary Chief Medical Officer of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital, Aligarh who had publicly contradicting the UP Police version of the Hathras gang rape and murder case. Days after this incident, he has been told that his services are no longer required in the hospital.

In his statement the forensic science laboratory (FSL) report of the samples was taken 11 days after the incident hold no value directly and has contradicted Additional Director General (Law and Order), Prashant Kumar’s statement. He had stated that the FSL report mentioned there were no traces of sperm and thus was proved that no rape had taken place.

On 16th October, Azeem had received a letter that stated that the proposal to appoint him as temporary CMO at the hospital could not be granted to. And on 20th October, he was given an urgent notice and was terminated from his post at the hospital.

On 5th October 5, Dr. Azeem Malik told the Indian Express that the samples were collected 11 days after the woman was apparently raped. The government guidelines strictly state that forensic evidence can only be discovered up to 96 hours after the incident. This report cannot confirm rape. The victim was admitted to JNMC Hospital for her treatment for almost 14 days before shifting to Safdarjung hospital in Delhi just a day before her death.

Azeem is a former student of the same university and was hired in August as a temporary CMO when 6 CMOs out of 11 CMOs of the hospital were diagnosed with COVID-19. His term was extended till November on the post of Naresh Kumar, as he is on leave due to coronavirus, has abruptly ended. On Friday, he received a notice on Friday that his extension, that was starting from 10th October to 8th November as temporary CMO cannot be approved.

According to Azeem, the chief medical superintendent of the hospital, Shahid Siddiqui, was scolded by the vice chancellor (VC)a day later as his statement came out in the press. He said that the VC called the principal and scolded him. They had got a signal that day that even they will have to face the wrath in some form. It is not wrong to give statements to the press. However, it is happening because it made headlines. The vice chancellor had indirectly expressed disapproval to his other colleagues and asked why Azeem had given such a statement to the press. Sources in the hospital said that two other CMOs are also possible to be terminated, probably as a cover for the termination of Dr. Azeem.

The UP police and the administration have repeatedly mentioned that the woman was not raped. Hathras superintendent of police Vikrant Vir said that the report by the Aligarh hospital, where the victim was admitted was brought to Safdarjung hospital also did not confirm rape. But on 3rd October, the Wire’s story on the MLC report of the victim that was done at JNMC contradicted these claims that were made by few senior officials in the UP police.

The MLC stated that the doctors had documented her description of the “complete penetration of the vagina” and specified the use of force in their preliminary examination. Doctors slammed the police for making such claims about the FSL report as the samples were not collected within 72 hours of the incident. Lawyers too have highlighted that the presence of sperm is not required to constitute rape.

The Allahabad high court has pulled up ADG Prashant Kumar for being unaware of the definition of rape in the Indian Penal Code, that it does not require penile penetration, let alone the presence of semen.

On Monday, 8 CMOs including Dr. Azeem sent a letter that was addressed to the principal and chief medical superintendent stating that despite working in the epicentre of COVID-19 regularly to the best of their ability, though getting infected and falling sick, they are pained to know the allegations levelled against them by few officials at JNMCH, that the CMO’s/MO’s are not performing their duties.

When The Wire contacted AMU vice-chancellor Tariq Mansoor regarding the termination of Dr Azeem Mailk’s services as CMO and received a response on his behalf from Shafey Kidwai, a spokes person from AMU.

Kidwai said that Dr Azeem was working on a leave vacancy whose term had expired on 8th October, so the question on his termination does not arise. With the improved situation the ad hoc appointment of two doctors, Dr. Obaid and Dr. Faheem, were not approved. It is purely an administrative decision and has nothing to do with the Indian Express interview.

One of the two other terminated doctors earlier had expressed fears of being sacked by the administration for “cover up.”Whereas, Dr. Azeem’s term was a temporary one and his term till 8th November has been abruptly terminated.

Source: The Wire