Payal Tadvi Suicide: Maharashtra Medical Council Revokes Suspension Of 2 Accused Doctors

The Maharashtra Medical Council has revoked the suspension of medical licences of two of the three doctors booked for allegedly abetting the suicide of Dr Payal Tadvi, a second-year postgraduate medical student at the BYL Nair Hospital.

The council, in March, had issued the order to revoke their suspension pending inquiry following a Bombay High Court order in February.

Tadvi's mother, Abeda, who got to know about it last week, wrote to state Minister for Medical Education Amit Deshmukh seeking that the accused's licences to practice medicine remain suspended till the trial in the case is concluded.

"We have made repeated pleas before the MMC to cancel their medical registration licences. It is necessary to keep their licences under suspension till the trial in the case concludes. Over a year since my daughter's death, the trial is yet to begin, nor have charges been framed against them. We were also not informed about the MMC's decision to revoke the suspension, which is an injustice towards my daughter," the letter states.

In her suicide note, Tadvi had named Hema Ahuja, Bhakti Mehare and Ankita Khandelwal, post-graduate medicine students at the BYL Nair College, citing harassment by them.

"It had become 'unbearable' to carry on with the alleged 'torture'" meted out to her by the three and clearly stating that they were responsible for her condition.

The three women were then arrested last year and booked under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, abetment of suicide, destruction of evidence and common intent under the Indian Penal Code.

While granting the three bail in August 2019, the Bombay High Court had put forward some conditions including suspension of their licences issued by the MMC till the conclusion of the trial. The three had however, filed an appeal before the court last year seeking relaxation of the conditions, including revocation of their suspension.

In an order passed on February 21, Justice Sadhana Jadhav had stated that the court did not have the jurisdiction to order such a suspension.

"We had suspended their licences following the directions of the Bombay High Court order and have now issued an order revoking the suspension also following the directions of the honourable court. An inquiry against the three is in progress, notices were issued to them and replies received. Due to the lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic, members of the council who reside across the state have not been able to meet. Once a meeting is convened, the inquiry will commence and a decision will be taken as per the rules," Shivkumar Utture, MMC president, said.

Under the MMC Act's Section 22 (1), if a medical practitioner is found guilty after due enquiry is held by the council, among the actions recommended are a letter of warning, removal of her name from the register for a specific period or permanent removal of her name.

An appeal was then filed by the three before the Supreme Court seeking permission to continue with their studies while the matter is pending. The trial, which has been expedited by the High Court, has been paused since the lockdown.

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