No Evidence Against Dr Kafeel, No Inquiry Was Done: Allahabad HC

Dr Khan had been booked under the charge of ‘attempt to murder’, and his family had applied for his bail six times.

Dr Kafeel Khan

(Photo Courtesy: ANI screengrab)

Dr Kafeel Khan, who was booked in connection with the death of 63 infants due to lack of oxygen at Gorakhpur’s BRD Medical College, was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday, 25 April.

Citing that there was no evidence against Dr Khan, the Allahabad HC noted in its order, “…there is no material on record, which may establish medical negligence against the applicant individually. This quite apart from the fact that no inquiry was also undertaken or initiated.”

The Indian Express reported that the court in its order also pointed out that the state, in its affidavit, did not mention “any evidence, which may establish or even tend to indicate that the applicant has tried to influence witnesses or to tamper with the evidence”.

Dr Khan had been booked under the charge of ‘attempt to murder’, and his family had applied for his bail at least six times at different periods.

Earlier this week, the doctor had penned an open letter, asserting his innocence in the case. He alleged that he had been made a ‘scapegoat’, for what was in fact an administrative failure.

Dr Khan was also wheeled into the hospital last week for a routine checkup after his wife alleged that he suffered from heart ailments.

Addressing a press conference on 21 April, his wife Dr Shabista Khan alleged:

My husband’s health is deteriorating every day. He is a heart patient and his blood pressure is running high without medicines. He had a severe chest pain so we pressed the authorities to take him to the hospital for a check-up.