Gorakhpur Tragedy: Dr Kafeel Walks Out of Jail to a Hero’s Welcome

“You know what my family went through in the last eight months. I do not know what my fault is,” Khan said.

Dr Kafeel Khan returns home after getting bail.

(Photo: ANI)

Kafeel Khan, who was booked in connection with the death of infants at a state-run hospital in Gorakhpur last year, walked out of jail on Saturday, 28 April.

Khan, who worked as nodal officer at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College, was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday.

His wife Shabistan Khan, daughter and other family members welcomed him.

After coming out of jail, Kafeel hugged his wife and daughter and said, “The honourable high court has clearly said that there is no evidence against me. You know what my family went through in the last eight months. I do not know what my fault is.”

“That day what I did was something that a father, doctor and an Indian would've done. My job was to treat the children there. I did extra work of arranging oxygen cylinders as liquid oxygen had got finished,” Khan told ANI.

When asked who was the real culprit behind the incident, he said, "I have mentioned it in my letter".

Khan had written a letter from jail which was made public by his wife at a press conference in Delhi.

In the letter, the former nodal officer at BRD hospital mentioned that payment to oxygen supplier at the hospital was not made because the fund for the same was not released.

Various organisations, including members of 'Adhikar Morcha' wearing saffron scarves came in support of Khan. They also carried banners and posters with 'Dr Kafeel hamara hero' (Dr Kafeel is our hero) and 'congratulations' written on them.

More than 60 children, mostly infants, had died at the hospital within a week in August, 2017. There were allegations that the deaths occurred due to disruption in oxygen supply. The BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government, however, had denied that shortage of oxygen led to the deaths.

In its report submitted on 23 August 2017, a committee under Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar had recommended initiating criminal action against the then principal of the hospital Rajiv Mishra, HoD Anaesthesia Paediatric department Satish, in-charge of 100-bed AES ward Kafeel Khan and Pushpa Sales.

On 24 August, an FIR was filed against nine persons, including Mishra, his wife Purnima Shukla, Kafeel Khan and the proprietors of M/s Pushpa Sales.

On 2 September last year, Khan was arrested and subsequently removed from his post in the hospital.

(With inputs from ANI.)

(The Quint is now on WhatsApp. To receive handpicked stories on topics you care about, subscribe to our WhatsApp services. Just go to TheQuint.com/WhatsApp and hit send.)