District court rejects police plea for extending Dr Saif’s custody
WARANGAL: The district court on Thursday rejected a petition by police seeking further extension in the custody of Dr Mohammad Saif, the prime accused in the death of Dr Daravath Preethi, a postgraduate student of Kakatiya Medical College (KMC) in Hanamkonda.
Earlier, the court had granted permission to police for holding Dr Saif in police custody from March 2 to March 5. A senior of Dr Preethi, Dr Saif is accused of harassing his junior, which allegedly led to her attempting suicide, hospitalisation and death. Police officials had filed another petition seeking further custody of the accused. The district court, however, rejected the permission for an extension of custody on Wednesday.
Sources said police have submitted to the court a report saying Dr Saif has maintained that as a senior, he tried to correct Dr Preethi’s mistakes through WhatsApp chats; that he had wanted her to realise how other colleague junior doctors are handling their duties.
When police officials confronted him with the WhatsApp chats, Dr Saif contended that these could not be considered as ragging.
Subsequently, during the course of their four-day custodial interrogation, Dr Mohammad Saif reportedly confessed that he had ragged and tried to harass Dr Preethi during chats and had allotted her more working hours.
It is learnt that police commissioner A.V. Ranganath once again visited KMC and inspected the Anaesthesia Department. He made inquiries with senior and junior medical students. He then proceeded to MGM Hospital and inspected the RICU ward. Ranganath also questioned the MGM superintendent and hospital staff to ascertain what transpired on the day Dr Preethi attempted suicide.
Meanwhile, Dr Preethi's family members met IT minister K.T. Rama Rao during his tour of Thorrur mandal on Wednesday. Rama Rao consoled the family members and assured them of doing justice.
The minister called the police commissioner, asking him to carry out a transparent investigation into the death of Dr Preethi.
