No arrest yet in alleged rape at private hospital

A day after a rape case was registered against a staff member of Fortis Hospital in Gurugram’s Sector 44 for allegedly raping a 21-year-old woman undergoing tuberculosis

A day after a rape case was registered against a staff member of Fortis Hospital in Gurugram’s Sector 44 for allegedly raping a 21-year-old woman undergoing tuberculosis treatment, the police are yet to make any arrests. The police, on Thursday, said that two of the hospital staff members are under the scanner.

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A case was registered on the basis of a complaint by the woman’s father, who alleged that his daughter was raped while she was in a semi-conscious state on ventilator in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital.

KK Rao, commissioner of police, said that they have collected CCTV footage of two floors, of which footage of one floor was monitored by the police team on Thursday. However, they could not find anything substantial that could support the complaint. “We have questioned more than 20 staff members who were present in the ward during the period when the alleged rape happened and have taken the location details of the suspect to check whether he spent time alone in the ICU. We hope to solve the case at the earliest,” he said.

Usha Kundu, assistant commissioner of police (headquarters), said the woman was admitted to the ICU on the ground floor for a day and was later shifted to the ICU on the first floor. “We are yet to monitor footage of the first floor and that will give us a clear idea about the movement of the suspect. The woman had told her father that she had heard the name, Vikas, following which she alleged rape charges against him, but we are yet to verify the facts to arrest the suspect. He is under police scanner,” she said.

The police said the patient gained consciousness on Tuesday and informed her father about the incident through a handwritten note. The family then approached the police and a case was registered on Tuesday. A board of doctors from the Civil Hospital conducted a medical investigation on Wednesday.

Kundu said the woman is still on ventilator and is not fit to give a statement. “She was recovering but has developed fever, due to which she has not been removed from the ventilator on Thursday. A police team has been deployed in the room and protection has been provided to her. The entire area is under the scanner,” she said.

The management of the hospital said in a statement: “Fortis has been fully cooperating with the investigating authorities. The entire CCTV footage and all other relevant information were shared with the police. We understand that police is questioning two persons, who are the outsourced non-medical staff. As per established protocol, they were hired after requisite verification. We have a zero tolerance policy against such situations and are committed to ensure that justice prevails(sic).”