Re-enquiry against Dr Kafeel Khan withdrawn: UP govt informs Allahabad HC

THE Uttar Pradesh Government has informed the Allahabad High Court that it has withdrawn the "re-inquiry" order passed last year against suspended Gorakhpur paediatrician Dr Kafeel Khan.

This came after the high court observed that the state government could not explain the delay of 11 months in re-initiating an enquiry against Dr Khan when the Enquiry Officer had already concluded an earlier probe and submitted his report on 15.04.2019.

The inquiry officer had concluded that Dr. Kafeel at the time of the BRD tragedy, was on probation and had not been responsible for order, supply, or maintenance of liquid oxygen.

The state government also told the high court that it would make all endeavours to conclude the disciplinary proceedings against Dr Khan within a period of three months.

The high court asked the government to justify the continued suspension of Dr Kafeel Khan since 2017. The state government sought some time to appraise the court of this aspect. The seven co-accused including Dr Rajiv Misra- Ex principal, Dr Satish Kumar, Oxygen in charge, Accountants had already been reinstated, except Dr Kafeel.

In its order passed on July 29, the Court had also noted this concern and had asked the State "to justify" the continuance of the order of suspension for over four years.

Last year, Dr. Khan was arrested from the Mumbai airport for what police alleged was a provocative speech at Aligarh Muslim University in December 2019 during an anti-CAA protest on the University campus. After he received the bail from an Aligarh Court, he was booked under the National Security Act (NSA) on February 13. Months later, the Allahabad High Court set him free, calling his detention "not sustainable in the eyes of the law".