Uttar Pradesh: Why Yogi government is afraid of Dr. Kafeel Khan?

Why Yogi government is afraid of Dr. Kafeel Khan?

This question has started taking a round of the bureaucratic and political circles of Lucknow after the Uttar Pradesh government informed the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday that another disciplinary proceeding has been initiated against Dr. Khan for "various incidents" which occurred during the period of the first suspension while he was attached to the office of the Director, Medical education.

Dr. Khan, who was already suspended after the BRD incident in August 2017, was again suspended on 31.07.19 under these proceedings.

The question asked is: How can someone suspend someone who is already suspended?

“This shows the malafide intention of the UP Government in refusing to re-instate Dr. Kafeel Khan whereas others who were suspended with him in 2017 were re-instated,” says Samajwadi Party leader Ram Govind Chaudhry.

The party has decided to raise the issue in the coming monsoon session of the state legislature.

“It is not only the opposition parties even the Allahabad High Court has already asked the Yogi Government to justify four years delay in conclusion of disciplinary proceedings against Dr. Khan,” he said.

A senior bureaucrat told this reporter that probably CM has taken suspension as personal issue. The support Dr. Kafeel is getting from the medical fraternity, NGOs, political parties and social activists might have rattled the ruling dispensation, he said.

“I do not know. Dr Kafeel and Yogi ji belong to Gorakhpur. It must be something personal,” he said refusing to further elaborate.

Dr Khan was suspended on August 22, 2017 along with 7 co-accused including Dr Rajiv Misra Ex principal and Dr Satish kumar Oxygen in-charge after Oxygen tragedy in BRD Medical College in which 60 children died. Dr Kafeel was absolved of Medical negligence and corruption charges by enquiry officer on April 15, 2019, but the Uttar Pradesh government ordered re-enquiry on February 24, 2020.

In his Enquiry Report submitted on April 15, 2019, the enquiry officer Himanshu Kumar had categorically stated:

1- That at the time of the BRD tragedy, Dr. Kafeel was the junior most doctor and he had joined BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur on 08.08.16 as a lecturer under probation and at the time of the incident as well he was on probation.

2- Despite being on leave on 10.08.17, he rushed to BRD medical college Gorakhpur on that fateful night and tried to save every innocent life. He and his team managed to arrange 500 cylinders in those 54 hours.

3- He called 26 people on that fateful night to all the official of BRD medical college including District Magistrate Gorakhpur

4- There is no evidence that suggests his involvement in corruption.

5- He was not responsible for payment / order / tender /maintenance of oxygen supply.

6- He was not the head of the encephalitis ward.

7- There is no evidence that he was doing private practice after 08.08.16.

8- Charges of medical negligence were baseless and without any substance.