Days after AIIMS suspends dept head over harassment complaint by nurse, faculty protests, seeks his reinstatement

Meanwhile, AIIMS Nurses Union condemned the demand by the FAIMS to transfer the complainant to her original posting.

The union said that the FAIMS publicly disclosed the details of a sexual harassment complaint, pending before the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), revealing the complainant’s identity.

In a letter to the Director Dr M Srinivas on Thursday, the nursing union said that this is not a matter of “nurses versus doctors” but a matter of justice, gender dignity, and institutional ethics. The complainant has now submitted a plea with the National Commission for Women and the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes.

The union said that pressuring the administration for the revocation of suspension from the post of HoD is against the POSH Act and may directly affect a fair and impartial inquiry into the matter. “Such actions violate Section 16 of the POSH Act, which explicitly prohibits the public disclosure of details or proceedings relating to a sexual harassment complaint,” said the union in the letter to the AIIMS Director.

Calling the removal of Dr Bisoi as the head of CTVS “unwarranted”, the FAIMS has said the grievance was already forwarded to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). The association said that the complainant was not under direct administrative control of Dr Bisoi who had already proceeded on leave from October 11.

Earlier on Wednesday, the association had warned of a mass protest if Dr Bisoi was not reinstated within 24 hours. It said the ICC should investigate the complainant’s grievance strictly on merit, free from external or union influence and also sought disciplinary action against the nurses’ union, suspension of current office bearers and a ban on their participation in future elections for the remainder of their service.

This is not the first time that an action has been initiated against Dr Bisoi. In 2019, he was accused of harassment by three senior nursing officers for which the institute had also formed an enquiry committee. In 2012, he was suspended from the post of Head and Chief of the Department of Cardiovascular And Thoracic Surgery for alleged medical negligence that led to the death of a 12-year-old boy.

In the complaint to PMO last week, the union said that in March 2009, Dr Bisoi was suspended by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for his unlawful Acts.