Gurugram: An air hostess has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by a male employee of Medanta hospital in Gurugram, while she was on ventilator support, unable to speak or resist.
Police confirmed that an FIR was registered Monday, and the woman’s statement was recorded before a magistrate Tuesday. An arrest is yet to be made.
“We are analysing CCTV footage from the hospital to identify the accused. Action will be taken soon,” Gurugram Police spokesperson Sandeep Kumar told ThePrint. Sections 68 (sexual intercourse by a person in authority) and 64(2) (punishment for rape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita have been invoked in the FIR.
According to the police, the 46-year-old woman, who works for an international airline, had come to Gurugram for a training session, and was staying at a five-star hotel in the city. She was rushed to a hospital after she nearly drowned in the hotel pool.
She was initially admitted in a local hospital, and on 5 April, was shifted to a larger, private facility.
In her complaint, she mentioned that when her condition worsened, she was put on ventilator support in a semi-conscious state. On 6 April, while lying immobile on her hospital bed, she felt a male hospital staff member molesting her.
According to the police, the air hostess said in her statement that she was aware of what was happening, but was unable to raise an alarm due to her condition. Moreover, she claimed that two female nurses were present at the time but did nothing to stop the assault.
After she was discharged, on Sunday (13 April), she managed to narrate her ordeal to her husband. They then contacted a legal adviser, who suggested they inform the police.
According to the police, they then dialed the emergency helpline 112 and filed a written complaint at Sadar police station.
Meanwhile, Medanta has issued a statement, saying that it is “fully cooperating with the investigations”.
“At this stage, no allegations have been substantiated, and all relevant documents including CCTV footage from the hospital for the time period in question, have been handed over to the police. We remain committed to supporting the process of investigation,” the statement read.
This is an updated version of the report.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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