Tadvi case: Delay in recording of witnesses statements irks HC

Mumbai, Aug 6 (IANS) Expressing displeasure over delay in recording of statements of key witnesses in the Payal Tadvi case, the Bombay High Court, here on Tuesday, asked the court to take steps to ensure compliance.

The statement of witnesses, which include Snehal Shinde, Geeta Kulkarni, Ziyan Sayyad, Anupama Kanwar, Devika and Surabhi, be recorded before the next hearing on August 9, Justice Sadhana S. Jadhav ordered.

Justice Jadhav ruled this while hearing bail plea of three prime accused and senior medicos -- Ankita Khandelwal, Bhakti Mehare and Hema Ahuja -- whose names figure in the charge-sheet filed by the Mumbai Police on July 23.

At the hearing, special public prosecutor Raja Thakare said the investigating officer was of the opinion that doctors could be liable for disciplinary action regarding the conduct of Yi Ching Ling, head of the gynaecology department at BYL Nair General Hospital.

Ling reportedly didn't take cognizance of a plaint by the victim's mother Abeda Tadvi, husband Salman Tadvi and other colleagues on grounds that there was no written complaint under section 6 of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999.

Thakare said a letter recommending departmental enquiry against Ling had been prepared by the investigating officer, but was yet to be submitted to the Municipal Commissioner of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation.

On May 22, Tadvi, 26, was found hanging in her hostel room at the BYL Nair General Hospital in south Mumbai.

While her family blamed three senior women doctors for Tadvi's death by allegedly harassing her on grounds of her minority tribal background. The accused have denied the charges, claiming they merely pulled her up for inefficiency.

Though the Agripada Police initially registered an accident death case, following a complaint by Tadvi's mother, a first information report was lodged and investigations were launched.

The three accused, arrested on May 28-29, have been charged under the Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to abetment of suicide and destruction of evidence, provisions of the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act.