4 key witnesses to prove casteist harassment case in Payal Tadvi's case

Dr Payal Tadvi committed suicide in May this year

Of the 190 witnesses questioned in the Dr Payal Tadvi suicide case at Nair hospital two months ago, four prime witness have confirmed the caste-based harassment by the three accused doctors - Hema Ahuja, Bhakti Mehare and Ankita Khandelwal. This is part of the 1,800-page charge sheet filed by the Crime Branch in the case on Tuesday.

The cops have videographed the statements of the witnesses to prevent them from turning hostile. The charge sheet also records the revelation that Dr Payal and another doctor were harassed by the accused to such an extent that they were unable to complete the mandatory post-exposure prophylaxis course after attending to an HIV + patient.

The doctors accused of abetting her suicide, Hema Ahuja, Ankita Khandelwal and Bhakti Mehare

The Crime Branch investigating the suicide of Dr Payal Tadvi filed the charge sheet against the three senior doctors mentioning caste based harassment and torture abetting her suicide. Payal had committed suicide on the evening of May 22, 2019.

During investigation, the Crime Branch came across four witnesses who has confirmed the caste based harassment meted out to Dr Payal. "These witness have revealed that all the three knew about Payal's caste and repeatedly passed remarks about her being backward," reads the charge sheet.

Also Read: Mumbai doctor's suicide: Crime branch finds photo of Payal Tadvi's suicide note in phone

Dr Payal with her parents, who were the first to name her three tormentors in the case

"One of the witnesses is Payal's close friend who belong to the open category. This friend, too, was subjected to the same harassment but they escalated the torture against Payal when they came to know that Payal's family had complained about them," the charge sheet states. The Crime Branch has videographed the statements by Payal's parents, her husband, Dr Salman, all the three accused and crucial witnesses in the case.

Also Read: Mumbai doctor's suicide: Dr Payal Tadvi's suicide note forms crux of charge sheet

Dr Payal with her husband Dr Salman

Her life was put at risk

In the latest revelation in the statement recorded by the police, an incident dated April 2019, in which Dr Payal Tadvi, Dr Ankita Khandelwal and one more woman doctor had delivered a baby admitted in emergency. Later, it was revealed that the woman was HIV positive. In such cases, all doctors have to undergo the Post Exposure Prophylaxis course for 28 days. But because of the consistent pressure from the three accused doctors and being deliberately burdened by work, Dr Payal and her colleague had to abandon the course after just seven days, which could have proved detrimental to their health.

Also Read: Mumbai doctor's suicide: Why can't cops clearly explain sequence, asks Payal Tadvi's husband

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