Bhopal gangrape: HC notices to chief secy, DGP over medical report

JABALPUR: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has served notices to the chief secretary, the director general of police and others on the Bhopal gangrape victim's medical report that apparently had glaring errors.

Chief Justice Hemant Gupta issued the notices yesterday after taking suo motu cognisance of newspaper reports about the medical document and treating them as a public interest litigation (PIL), HC Registrar General Mohammed Fahim Anwar told PTI today over phone.

He posted the matter for November 13, Anwar said.

The medical examination report of the rape victim stated that the sexual act was committed "with her consent and will", triggering widespread outrage two days ago.

At one place, the report, prepared by the doctors of the Sultania Lady Hospital here, termed the 19-year-old woman as an "accused" rather than "victim".

Notwithstanding the doctors' claim of the errors having been committed "inadvertently", the Bhopal divisional commissioner had served notices to them two days ago.

According to police, though the report had errors, but it confirmed that the woman was raped and injuries were found in her private parts.

The woman was allegedly raped by four men for almost three hours near the railway tracks in Bhopal when she was returning home after attending a coaching class on October 31 night.

"The doctors had written in the examination report that physical relation was established 'with her consent and will'.

The report also mentioned the 'victim' as an 'accused' at one place," the police said.

When the police had sought clarification, the doctors concerned gave a (written) clarification that the word "with" was inadvertently used instead of 'without'. The other error, terming the victim as an accused at one place was also rectified by the doctors in the clarification, the police added.

They said the errors in the report were "insignificant" as these were made in the column for recording the details of the incident.

Two doctors –Khushbhu Gajbhiye and Sanyogita – had been slapped show-cause notices seeking their replies within three days.