Medical Officer in dock for issuing report without examination

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Jhajjar, June 3 

Jhajjar Civil Surgeon Randeep Singh Punia has recommended action against a medical officer for preparing the medical report of a photojournalist without conducting his examination.

Dr Narender Singh, posted at Jhajjar Civil Hospital, was found guilty of not complying with the rules of medical examination, in an inquiry conducted by ADC Uttam Singh following the directives of DC Jitender Dahiya.

Significantly, any action is yet to be taken against Roshan Lal, SHO, City police station, who had booked a case against photojournalist Naresh Khohal under ‘inappropriate’ sections of the IPC on the complaint of Head Constable Sandeep Kumar, which had prompted the medical examination.

Jhajjar MLA Geeta Bhukkal on Tuesday talked to Home Secretary Vijay Vardhan over the phone and demanded action against those found guilty in the inquiry report. “Media-persons are COVID warriors and it is unfortunate that they are being implicated in false cases and are being tortured by the police. The authority should take action against guilty persons with immediate effect,” Bhukkal added.

The DC, however, ordered the inquiry while acting on the complaint of media persons that Khohal was not only booked for informing the SHO about stone-throwing but also given third-degree treatment in the police station on May 7 night.

Khohal, in his complaint, said he had informed the SHO through A phone call about the stone-pelting incident in his neighbourhood at Chhawani Colony here. When the police did not reach the spot, he again rang up to the SHO.

He alleged later that a police jeep came there and the cops arrested him on the charges of creating a nuisance and spreading dangerous diseases instead of taking action against those involved in the stone-throwing.

“After the arrest, the police took me to the Civil Hospital, where Dr Narender issued a false medical certificate on the behest of the police without any examination. The police later tortured me at the station the entire night,” Khohal had alleged.

Randeep Singh Punia, Jhajjar civil surgeon, said “I got the inquiry report from the DC. I have written to the Director-General (Health Services) for appropriate action against Medical Officer Dr Narender Singh.”

Jhajjar SP Ashok Kumar could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.