The Telangana High Court on Monday, September 11 termed the suspension of Dr MA Saif Ali as ‘unlawful’ after he was named accused in the case of suicide of a first-year postgraduate student of Kakatiya Medical College, Dharawath Preethi.
Stating that Saif’s suspension was a clear disregard of the law, the court ordered the suspension to be revoked.
Dr Preethi died at NIMS hospitals in Hyderabad on February 26 after the alleged attempt on her life on February 22.
Accused of ragging Preethi and abetment to her suicide, Saif was booked by the Matwada police. He was charged with Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 354 (Assault of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code, Section 4(v) of the TS Prohibition of Ragging Act, and Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(w)(ii), and 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST (POA) Amendment Act of 2015.
After two months in jail, Saif was granted bail on 20 April.
After a thorough investigation under Warangal ACP Bonala Kishan, a 970-page chargesheet on June 7 in the SC/ST Court as Dr Preethi belonged to the Banjara-Lambada ST community.
Saif was named the primary accused after the police recorded statements of 70 witnesses.
In the meantime, he was also suspended for a year by the Kakatiya Medical College on March 3 without giving him a chance to explain his case.
“Despite attempts to reach out to the college authorities and several pleas against his suspension that went unheard, Saif finally resorted to taking his case to court,” Saif’s Lawyer Shrikanth Chintala told Siasat.com.
Stating that the KMC had violated Regulation No 23 of the National Medical Commission rules, Saif in his petition to the Telangana High Court on June 9 sought revocation of the suspension which was extended without allowing him an opportunity to explain.
Chintala stated that despite the enquiry committee set up by the college not being able to reach a conclusion on March 2, Saif was suspended the very next day.
“Flagging several irregularities over the personnel on the inquiry panel and the fact that the college failed to meet the 2021 guidelines of the National Medical Council, the court concluded the case in Saif’s favour,” said Chintala.
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