Hathras Case: AMU Doctor Who Said FSL Report 'Holds No Value' Asked To Leave

Azeem Malik, a doctor at Aligarh Muslim University’s Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, has been told to not "perform any further duties". Malik had previously questioned the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report in the Hathras gangrape case. He had alleged that the report “holds no value”, as the samples for FSL were collected eleven days after the incident happened.

As per The Indian Express report, Malik and one of his colleagues, Dr Obaid Haque, who had attested the woman’s medico-legal case report, have been issued a letter by the hospital. The letter that was signed by Dr SAH Zaidi, CMO in-charge of the hospital, reportedly stated, "This is to inform you that as directed by the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Tariq Mansoor via telephone on 20.10.2020 at 11:14 am, your appointment on the post of Medical Officer, Emergency & Trauma, JNMCH, is rejected with immediate effect. Therefore, you are requested not to perform any further duties.”

Also Read: The Survivor Was At least Entitled To A Decent Cremation: Allahabad HC On Hathras Case

AMU administration has clarified that it has not suspended any doctor related to the Hathras case. According to the administration, Malik and Haque had only been appointed because existing CMOs took leave. "Now that the CMOs are back, there are no leave vacancies, hence their services are not required."

Dr Malik's statement on Hathras Gangrape Case

Malik had earlier explained how the samples for FSL were collected eleven days after the woman was raped, while "the government guidelines strictly say forensic evidence can only be found up to 96 hours after the incident. This report can’t confirm rape in this incident.”

Malik's statement on the FSL report came following Uttar Pradesh Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar's earlier statement during a press conference where he said that the 19-year-old Dalit woman was not raped. Kumar had also said there were "no traces of sperm and hence proved that no rape took place."

Also Read: 10 Things To Know About The Buxar Gangrape Case

A Dalit woman was allegedly gangraped by four upper-caste men on September 14 in Hathras. She died while undergoing treatment in Delhi on September 29. Following her death, UP police had “forcibly” cremated her body, her family alleged, on September 30, which led to an outrage on social media. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on October 11 registered a case and started the investigation in this case.

Feature Image Credit: NDTV

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