Doctors stir: HC orders judicial probe, transfer of cops

Stepping in to end the deadlock over doctors' strike against attack on their colleagues, Allahabad high court on Wednesday ordered a judicial probe and directed the Uttar Pradesh government to transfer the senior superintend of police, Kanpur, Yashaswi Yadav, and other officials involved in the February 28 incident.

Taking suo motu cognisance, the Lucknow bench comprising justices Imtiyaz Murtaza and Devendra Kumar Upadhaya clarified that the order of transfer is only to resolve the situation and should not be taken as a "stigma" on the officials, whilerequesting the doctors to resume their duties immediately.

As the court assembled this morning, it directed that the matter be registered as a public interest litigation and sought replies from principal secretary medical/health, SGPGI administrator and others by March 10, the next date of hearing.

It also permitted the striking doctors to intervene in the matter and appointed senior advocate Jaideep Narain Mathur as amicus curiae.

During the first half of the hearing, the court directed a probe by retired Justice V K Mathur into the matter. However as the court resumed the hearing in the second half, the state government informed it that a one man judicial commission of retired justice RMS Chauhan has already been set up.

Following the submission, the court kept its order in abeyance and directed the state government to file Justice Chauhan Commission's report in three weeks.

Also, the state government informed the court that with the model code of conduct coming into effect from Wednesday, police officials cannot be transferred but the court refused to consider it.

The six-day-old strike has adversely hit medical services in several parts of the state. The medicos are protesting after their colleagues at GSVC medical college were allegedly beaten up by Kanpur police and supporters of Samajwadi Party Member of Legislative Assembly Irfan Solanki on February 28 following an altercation with him.

The doctors have been demanding arrest of Solanki, action against SSP Yashasvi Yadav and withdrawal of charges against 24 junior doctors.