Payal Tadvi suicide case: Bombay High Court

On May 22, 2019 a 26 year old doctor Payal Tadvi pursing second year MD in Gyanaecology hung herself to death in her hostel room. It is alleged that her colleagues Ankita Khandelwal, Hema Ahuja and Bhakti Mehare who were third year resident doctors at BYL Nair Hospital tormented her because she belonged to a certain tribe. Tadvi belonged to the Tadvi Bhil Muslim community, which is a Scheduled Tribe and it is alleged that she had to face constant comments and insults by her colleagues due to her being an outcast. This case is the epitome of caste discrimination that still prevails in the Indian society. It is alleged that the three doctors use to pass humiliating remarks against her, and her pictures posted on whats app status, she was also being scolded in front of everyone in the operation theater.

The three accused student-doctors have been booked u/s 306 and 34 of IPC for abetment of suicide and acts done by several persons in furtherance of their common intention. also they have been charged under the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes ( Prevention of Atrocities) act. Aabad Ponda an advocate appeared for the accused and claimed that just because she was scolded for not doing her work properly cannot mean that the case falls under abetment of suicide of the girl. However SPP thakre argued that the accused persons reached the crime spot even before others learnt about the suicide and allegedly hide the suicide note in order to tamper with the evidence against them , thus the case prima facie shows a smart planning to commit the said crime.

The court refused to grant bail to all the three accused and extended their judicial custody till July 6, Also the Bombay HC observed that the police should have informed the Medical Council Of India and the Medical Council Of Maharashtra about the arrest of all the three doctors in the relation of the Payal Tadvi suicide case.