The court noted that it was highly insensitive for the accused Ayurvedic doctor to claim that the infants died from suffocation rather than being victims of the fire.
![[Vivek Vihar Hospital Fire] Court Questions "Why Ayurvedic Doctor Works in NICU: Court Denies Bail](https://i0.wp.com/lawchakra.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/MicrosoftTeams-image-45.png?resize=820%2C547&ssl=1)
NEW DELHI: On 3rd June: A Delhi court on Monday denied bail to Dr. Akash (26), who was on duty at Baby Care New Born Hospital in Vivek Vihar during a fire on May 26 that resulted in the deaths of six newborns.
The court criticized Dr. Akash, an Ayurvedic doctor, for arguing that the infants died from suffocation rather than the fire, calling it highly insensitive. It noted that Dr. Akash, licensed to practice only in Haryana as a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) doctor, had willingly worked in the NICU, a critical area of the hospital, without a logical reason for his interest in allopathic medicine.
“No logical reason has been provided for why, despite being a BAMS doctor, Dr. Akash was eager to learn allopathic medicine practices, particularly by working in the hospital’s critical ward,” the court order stated.
The doctor was arrested on May 26 and applied for bail after being in police and then judicial custody. The court highlighted that, during the fire, Dr. Akash called the hospital owner instead of the police or fire services, wasting nearly half an hour which might have saved the newborns.
Dr. Akash claimed he was merely a trainee at the hospital, aiming to learn about allopathic medicine and not part of the medical team in a supervisory role. However, the police investigation indicated that nurses and other staff reported he provided treatment and prescriptions to infants.
In his bail application, Dr. Akash mentioned joining the hospital in January 2024, assigned to care for newborns alongside other doctors and nurses. The court, considering the possibility of him fleeing or influencing witnesses, rejected his bail request.
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Advocate Satyam Singh, representing Dr. Akash at Karkardooma court, stated that Dr. Akash recently completed his BAMS from a Haryana college and obtained his license in 2023. He hails from Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, where his father is a farmer and his mother a homemaker. Dr. Akash joined the Vivek Vihar hospital to gain experience before starting his clinic in his village.
