MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to all three doctors, who are accused of abetting Dr. Payal Salman Tadvi, to commit suicide.
The court directed the trio — Hema Ahuja, Ankita Khandelwal, and Bhakti Mehre to submit a surety of Rs 2 Lakh and appear before the crime branch every alternate day.
While passing the order, according to Bar and Bench, Justice SS Jadhav also had occasion to remark,
“Let them (bail applicants) remain in public domain with this stigma and this order.“
The court further directed them not to travel outside Mumbai without permission or go inside the BYL Nair Hospital, where Tadvi had committed suicide.
The court had, on July 25, ordered the video recording of the proceedings. The bench, which has now replaced the earlier bench, reviewed the order and asked the state government’s assistance on it.
The trio moved the high court after Sessions Court rejected the bail plea moved by them on June 24.
Tadvi, 26, who belonged to the Scheduled Tribe community, ended her life in her hostel room at BYL Nair Hospital here on May 22, allegedly after facing harassment and discrimination from her seniors due to her caste.
In a three-page letter suicide note retrieved from Dr Tadvi’s phone, Tadvi blamed three accused doctors.
“I have made this decision after trying everything out. I found out no one is there to stand for us, support us in this department. Infact it is all our fault, or we are at fault has been concluded“, Tadvi is said to have written.
The handwriting expert’s report is part of the chargesheet -long submitted by crime branch.
The post-mortem examination report of Tadavi’s death released on June 5 revealed the evidence of a ligature mark on her neck.
Her family alleged that three of her seniors ragged and hurled casteist abuses at her, forcing her to take the extreme step.
“We want justice for Payal, the three girls are still absconding only because they are rich and influential. They are still allowed to roam free even after five days have passed. We don’t know the role of police in this but something needs to be done,” Salman, late Dr Payal’s family member stated.
The trio was booked under the charges of abetment of suicide and various provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act in connection with this.