Rajasthan: Family of doctor who killed herself, moves Supreme Court seeking CBI investigation
Two persons, including a BJP leader, have been arrested in the case on charges of extortion and abetment of suicide.
The father-in-law of Archana Sharma, the Rajasthan-based doctor who died by suicide on March 29, has moved the Supreme Court, seeking that the inquiry into the case be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation from the local police, ANI reported on Friday.
Sharma had hanged herself to death at her house in Rajasthan’s Dausa district, after a pregnant woman had died at a hospital run by the obstetrician and her husband Suneet Upadhyay.
Sharma had been booked for murder after family members of the deceased woman held a protest outside the hospital, located in the same building as the doctor’s house.
Her husband had alleged that Sharma was being harassed by senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders before she killed herself. On March 31, the Rajasthan Police had arrested two persons, including a BJP leader, on charges of extortion and abetment of suicide.
In his petition to the Supreme Court, Sharma’s father-in-law, Ashok Kumar Upadhyay, has sought directions to dismiss the murder charge against the doctor, ANI reported. He also sought directions to not file a first information report against any doctor in cases of medical negligence without the permission of a senior-ranked police officer.
Advocate Avadh Bihari Kaushik, appearing for Upadhyay, also submitted that the case be transferred to the CBI. He contended that the accused persons in the case have “high political and police approaches”, and the petitioner had no faith left in the state machinery, ANI reported.
He also demanded that action be taken against high-ranked police officers who are alleged to be involved in the matter.
On April 5, the Dwarka unit of the Indian Medical Association had also moved a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking directions to transfer the case to the CBI, The Quint reported.