Dr. Shafi case: Court halts move to test complainant women

Kurunegala Chief Magistrate Sampath Hewawasam has halted proposed medical examinations of women who alleged that Dr Shafi Shihabdeen had performed illegal sterilisation procedures and, instead, called for the appointment of a team of medical professionals including the director of the Kurnegala hospital.

The court had earlier ordered that the tests be carried out on June 30 at the Castle Street Women's Hospital and the De Soysa Maternity Hospital.

The CID, on Thursday sought a directive from court to subject the complainant women for a medical test known as NSG. Lawyers who appeared for women said the CID was trying to proceed with the inquiry without the consent of Kurunegala hospital Director Dr. Sarath Weerabandara.

The magistrate then called on Dr Weerabandara to explain his position. The hospital director told court he was opposed to the proposed test as it could result in complications.

Accordingly, the magistrate ordered that Dr Weerabandara, too, should be included in the panel of medical specialists.

The CID told court that 615 women had made complaints and, of them, 468 had given statements, while 147 were due to be medically examined by a panel.

The CID said that statements had been recorded also from hospital staff, including 12 doctors. Eleven of the doctors had said that they had not seen Dr Shihabdeen causing any damage to the Fallopian tubes while one doctor said that she had observed that the approach of Dr. Shihabdeen a senior house officer, had differed depending on the ethnicity of the female patients.

Meanwhile, the CID submitted a 210-page report on the investigations carried out on Dr Shafi’s assets.

The report said that Dr Shihabdeen's monthly income was Rs 1.9 million and he had invested about Rs 30.3 million. The detectives said they had also called for statements from banks.

The doctor had 14 immovable properties, which included land and a building worth Rs 15 million.

The CID told court that they had found no evidence regarding Dr Shihabdeen's alleged links with any terrorist groups and that there were no previous police investigations against him.

The magistrate ordered the CID to submit a further report on July 11.