'Gang-rape victim shifted for best treatment'

A government doctor on Tuesday told a special court that the December 16 gang-rape victim was shifted to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore as it had the best facilities for "critical care" and organ transplant. HT reports.

A government doctor on Tuesday told a special court that the December 16 gang-rape victim was shifted to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore as it had the best facilities for "critical care" and organ transplant.

HT Image

"Since Mount Elizabeth Hospital has the best facility for best critical care and also for organ transplant, if required, the decision was taken to transfer the patient," the medical superintendent of Safdarjung Hospital told Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna.

Deposing as a prosecution witness, the doctor said, "The doctors treating the patient had contacted experts at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore and they were ready to accept the patient in such a condition."

He said organ transplant facility was not available at Safdarjung Hospital to date and he had no knowledge if such a treatment was available in Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon.

The doctor's testimony is important as the counsel for the accused had claimed the victim died at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi itself and she was shifted to Singapore just to mislead the people who were protesting since December 16, after the 23-year-old girl was raped.