18 hours Ago By Saumya Solanki
More than a week after Dr Jishnu Mohan, a third-year postgraduate in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) at Postgraduate Institute of Dental Sciences (PGIDS) Rohtak, accused senior faculty member Dr Ravinder Solanki of physical assault and prolonged harassment, the resident doctors at the institute have now raised alarming concerns about procedural bias and institutional inaction. In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Director of Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) Rohtak on April 11, the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of PGIMS Rohtak called for urgent intervention, citing multiple concerns that they claim undermine the integrity of the investigation into Dr Jishnu Mohan's complaint against Professor Dr Ravinder Solanki. "The accused was not only granted a separate hearing after the committee was reconstituted at his behest but was also allowed to take the list of committee questions with him and submit written answers at a later date, a liberty not afforded to the complainant or witnesses," states the RDA letter, which calls this preferential treatment a deviation from "the principle of equal treatment under law.
" Dr Mohan, who alleges he was physically assaulted by Dr Solanki in the department's OPD on April 2, expressed shock at being asked to undergo a re-examination of his injuries at the request of the accused professor. "I don't think this is allowed. This is against the law.
The accused can never ask for the reexamination of the victim, only the court or the investigating authority can request this," Dr Mohan said to EdexLive . "Authorities are giving him leverage and issuing illegal letters asking me to get re-examined." A confidential letter dated April 9 from the Dean-cum-Chairman of the Inquiry Committee to the Medical Superintendent confirms this request.
"Delayed proceedings" raise concerns The RDA has highlighted significant delays in the investigative process, noting that despite the alleged assault occurring on April 2, Dr Mohan's statement was only recorded on April 7. Additionally, the association claims the composition of the investigative committee was altered "upon the request of the accused, immediately before his appearance," raising questions about the committee's independence. Perhaps most concerning to the resident doctors is the failure to secure the site of the alleged assault.
The RDA letter points out that "even one week after the reported incident, the site of the physical assault remains unsecured and unexamined," potentially allowing for "tampering, destruction, or manipulation of physical evidence." Professor still present despite restrictions Despite a letter signed by 170 doctors demanding Dr Solanki’s suspension, he continues to attend duties, including operations, where he's been barred from supervising postgraduate residents. "He is still coming for duty.
He has been asked not to supervise the post graduates in OT, still he is coming to OT," Dr Mohan confirmed. Dr Muzaffar Khan, a representative of the RDA working committee, added, "That restriction is still in effect, but he seems to be coming to the college. I don't know in what capacity.
" Call for transparency and representation The RDA has requested an urgent meeting with the director, seeking the reconstitution of the investigation committee with "truly impartial members" and mandatory inclusion of at least two residents nominated by the RDA. "We are not against the authorities or something. We are happy that they are taking a step toward it," Dr Khan explained.
"The thing is that we haven't really had any kind of official communication. We feel like we are blindsided by what's happening in the inquiry committee." The letter also calls for investigating the procedural lapses, securing the assault site, protecting witnesses from intimidation, and appointing a neutral external monitoring body to oversee the process.
"We just want it to be more democratic and more transparent, and we want to be part of the committee," Dr Khan emphasised. Solidarity among residents The case has sparked significant solidarity among resident doctors, with Dr Mohan revealing that "a letter for Dr Solanki's suspension signed by 170 doctors in solidarity" was submitted to the administration, though he reports that there has been "no response so far." EdexLive tried to contact the administration for a comment but couldn’t get a response.
As the investigation continues under increasing scrutiny, resident doctors await action from the PGIMS administration on their demands for procedural fairness and greater transparency..
