Gurgaon Medanta Hospital rape case: Accused entered patient’s cubicle thrice, stayed once for 17 mins, say police

The woman, employed with a private airline, had alleged that she was sexually assaulted by a staff member at Medanta while she was on a ventilator there earlier this month.

Dr Arpit Jain, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters), said statements of the survivor and three nurses corroborate the incident.

Explaining the clinching nature of the CCTV footage against the accused, he said, “We minutely examined footage from cameras in the common areas outside the cubicle where the survivor was, and those at the entry to her cubicle. Her cubicle, like the others, had two patients. We saw that the accused entered [the survivor’s cubicle] thrice on the date of the alleged crime — once for 17 minutes. Though his work does not need more than two minutes, he was inside for nearly half an hour. All this is seen clearly.”

As per sources, the accused allegedly inserted his fingers in her private parts and spoke to the (then) semi-conscious survivor, saying he was only checking her hospital wristband.

On the survivor’s allegation that two nurses were present on duty in the cubicle during the crime, he said: “So far, what we have understood from them is that they were busy looking after two patients and were not aware of what was happening. When the accused was inside the cubicle at different points of time, at least one of the nurses, prima facie, was always inside the cubicle. At one point, one of them was there; at other times, along with the accused], both.”

The Indian Express contacted Medanta about the allegations against the nurses, and the hospital is yet to respond.

Police also told The Indian Express that Deepak’s mobile browsing history showed he was addicted to porn; he watched it during the days before and after the incident.

Police said the accused, who studied at a college under SGT University, does not have a criminal record. He was remanded to judicial custody by a court. His father, who resides in Gurgaon, will be called for questioning soon, Dr Jain said.

The incident came to light on April 14 when the woman lodged a complaint with the police detailing the assault.

According to the FIR, the woman had come to Gurgaon for training and was staying at a hotel. She was admitted to a hospital after she almost drowned while swimming. On April 5, her husband shifted her to Medanta for further care.

After she was discharged on April 13, she informed her husband about the incident, and they then reported it to the police.

Police have invoked sections 68 (sexual intercourse by a person in authority) and 64(2)e (whoever being on the management or the staff of a hospital commits rape on a woman in that hospital) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

On Friday, the hospital released a statement. “We’ve been informed that the police have identified a suspect who has been taken into custody in connection with the ongoing investigation concerning allegations of sexual assault on a patient,” it said, adding that it will co-operate with the police.

“Further investigation and questioning are underway”, DCP Jain stated.