SIT formed to investigate air hostess sexual abuse case: Gurugram Police

Gurugram, April 17 (IANS) The Gurugram Police have formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the 46-year-old air hostess sexual abuse case on Thursday.

The SIT will be led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Arpit Jain, supported by two Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs), three inspectors, including one from the Crime Branch, and the investigation officer (IO) of the case.

The move comes after the seriousness of the matter, which raises concerns about the protection of the patients’ privacy and security during the treatment.

While confirming the development, DCP (headquarters) Arpit Jain told IANS that “SIT has been formed under his leadership to probe the case further. However, he said that the investigation is in an initial stage and further developments into the matter will be shared accordingly.”

Sources claimed that the National Commission for Women (NCW) will launch an independent inquiry.

The SIT team will soon meet the complainant victim for speedy justice. Meanwhile, a 46-year-old air hostess had alleged that she was sexually assaulted when she was on ventilator support in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a noted private hospital in Gurugram on April 6.

The matter came to light on April 13 when she told her husband about the sexual assault, who alerted the police after dialling the 112 police control room.

Based on her complaint, a case was registered at the Sadar Police Station, Gurugram, on April 14.

According to her police complaint, she had come to Gurugram for training on behalf of the company and was staying in a hotel. During this time, her health deteriorated due to drowning in water, after which she was admitted to a private hospital for treatment.

On April 5, her husband admitted her to another hospital in Gurugram for treatment. She was discharged from the hospital on April 13.

“During the treatment, on April 6, she was on a ventilator, during which some staff of the hospital sexually assaulted her. At that time, she was on a ventilator and could not speak and was very scared. She was also unconscious at the time of the incident, and two nurses were also around her,” the victim had alleged in her complaint.

After being discharged, she told her husband about the sexual assault, and he informed the 112 police and then complained to the police in front of the legal advisor.

Following a complaint filed by the victim, a case has been registered at the Sadar Police Station, Gurugram.

A police team was rushed to the hospital to scan the duty chart and analyse the CCTV footage to identify the accused, police said.

Meanwhile, the private hospital has rejected the air hostess’s claim of being sexually harassed by a hospital staffer while she was on a ventilator in the ICU, allegedly in the presence of two nurses.

In a statement issued on April 15, the hospital had said that “no allegations have been substantiated” so far and that it has submitted CCTV footage and relevant medical records to the police.

The hospital added that it is “fully cooperating with investigations conducted by the relevant authorities.”

--IANS

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