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    Services of doctors linked to Hathras case terminated ‘without any reason’; varsity denies charges

    Synopsis

    Azeem Malik and Obaid Imtiyaz, both alumni of AMU, were working as CMOs at JN Medical College (which is under AMU) in place of doctors who had fallen ill.

    Hathras Case
    Malik and Imtiyaz have alleged that their dismissal is due to the vice chancellor’s “displeasure” over the statement and a possible suspicion that the doctor who attested the MLC report also had a role in “leaking” it to the media, as the report was used by a digital news platform to refute the UP Police’s “no rape” claim.
    LUCKNOW: A doctor who had highlighted the limitations of forensic test reports on the basis of which police had ruled out rape in the Hathras assault case, and another physician who had attested the medico-legal report of the victim have failed to get approval for serving an extended term as chief medical officer (CMO).

    Azeem Malik and Obaid Imtiyaz, both alumni of Aligarh Muslim University, were working as CMOs at JN Medical College (which is under AMU), in place of doctors who had fallen ill. ET has seen the termination letters which were issued to Malik and Imtiyaz on Tuesday.

    A spokesperson for AMU said the job termination had nothing to do with the events following the Hathras incident. The two doctors had been hired on "leave vacancy" and were later asked to discontinue their service since the doctors they were filling in for had resumed duty.

    However, Malik and Imtiyaz have alleged that their dismissal is due to the vice chancellor's "displeasure" over the statement and a possible suspicion that the doctor who attested the MLC report also had a role in "leaking" it to the media, as the report was then used by a digital news platform to refute the UP Police's "no rape" claim. Last week, ADG (L&O) Prashant Kumar was pulled up by Allahabad High Court for the "no rape" claim. The MLC report had said there were "signs of use of force" but had reserved its opinion regarding penetrative intercourse.

    Malik and Imtiyaz, who had completed their post graduate degree in ophthalmology from AMU in July, had been asked by the hospital to fill in as CMOs in August after six of the 11 CMOs on duty contracted Covid-19.

    In an October 5 report of the English daily Indian Express, Malik had said that since the samples were collected 11 days after the alleged rape took place, the FSL report cannot confirm whether rape happened.

    "I had given the opinion in a personal capacity as a doctor and had even written a clarification regarding my statement to the VC, but it seems to me that the termination is a way to suppress individual voice, or I would not have been terminated midway," Malik told ET.

    Malik and Imtiyaz claim they were terminated from their jobs after the VC called the CMO in-charge on October 20 and directed him to reject their appointment. The termination letters say the same.

    Malik had first been appointed against leave of Dr SAH Zaidi from August 9 to October 7. After Zaidi resumed duty, Malik was serving from October 10 in place of Dr Naresh Kumar, who is on leave till November 8.

    Although Malik’s appointment letter as CMO states that he could be terminated anytime "without notice or assignment of reason", Malik said one cannot be terminated midway of an extension since he had already been working for 10 days in place of Kumar and the appointment letter for the same had been lying with the VC since October 3, after being approved by the principal and superintendent of the college.

    "But after my statement appeared on October 5, the VC sat on the letter for 15 days before rejecting it, as he wanted the SIT investigation to get over, but kept availing of our services," Malik said, adding that verbally they had been informed of the suspension on October 16 itself.

    Imtiyaz told ET that he had not made any public statement regarding the victim’s medical report. He alleged that his termination could be either because the authorities suspect he leaked the 200-page report to reporters after attesting it or they did not want Malik’s termination to raise eyebrows.

    Imtiyaz claims that his extension was to last till November 3, but even his letter did not go beyond the principal, who had received it on October 2. His services, however, were also availed till October 20.

    Both Malik and Imtiyaz said they had ready alternative job/advanced study opportunities after their post graduation but had chosen to take up the job at their alma mater on the request of seniors and also as a matter of convenience since they had families in Aligarh.

    They also said other CMOs had "expressed faith" in them and a letter signed by eight CMOs/MOs was also sent to the principal and CMS of the hospital on October 19, with the doctors saying they were "pained" by allegations that they were not performing their duties.


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