Sunanda murder case: Doctor cries foul, AIIMS turns defensive

New Delhi, July 2: Here's adding to the twists in the

death case. The AIIMS authorities are denying the claims by the HoD Dr Sudhir Gupta that he was forced to draft a doctored report on the haste of "some senior government officials" and the director of AIIMS. The hospital authorities have termed it false and fabricated. A meeting of the officials is currently underway and they are likely to meet the press at 4 pm.

Dr Gupta claims that his position in the hospital is in danger since he stood up against "vested interest".

He said,"I was under pressure not to speak on autopsy details without discussing with top quarters of government. As a medical practitioner, I thought it is unfair to change my view on any autopsy. I gave correct statement to media after autopsy and was not biased. I gave representation to minister to save myself from departmental politics."

An affidavit was also filed by him before the Central Administrative Tribunal where he claimed that he was illegally punished for refusing to act un-professionally in the Sundanda Pushkar autopsy matter. He also named Tharoor in seeking a tailor-made autopsy report from the AIIMS director. He further alleged that President of AIIMS then, along with the Director, had decided to illegally purge his seniority and promote someone else.

A report by IBNLive reads,"In his letter to Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Dr Gupta has claimed that an illegal order has been passed to oust him from the post of HOD and promote a fellow doctor of the same department for taking a professional stand in the Sunanda Pushkar and Nido Tania case which went against the vested interest of certain persons in AIIMS."

Meanwhile, the health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said,"I have asked the director of AIIMS to send me a detailed report in this matter." he also added that Dr Gupta's complaint was about a seniority issue in his department. "I don't remember him having made any allegations that he is making right now. I have requested the AIIMS director to give me a detailed report. I don't know his allegations, I receive lots if representations every day. But now we are looking into it."

Police argued that the investigation of the case would not be affected as the doctor said that though he was under pressure, he did not fall prey to it and did not change his stand.

Delhi Commissioner of Police BS Bassi said,""If it is necessary to examine Dr. Gupta then he will be examined. We will be conducting enquiries based in the relevance of the evidence. This is a new development in the case. If we find that the affidavit has to be brought into record then we will do that."

Though Shashi Tharoor refused to comment on the case, sources close to him said that he was distressed and disappointed at the fact that his family matter has been dragged into the internal politics of the hospital.

OneIndia News