Delhi Surgeon, Accused Of Harassment By Nurse, Not Suspended, AIIMS Clarifies

Senior surgeon AK Bisoi hasn't been suspended as the head of the Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS), AIIMS Delhi said today. The clarification came after reports claimed Bisoi was suspended following a complaint of harassment by a woman nursing officer.

"There are adverse media reports circulating regarding a Professor of CTVS at AIIMS, New Delhi. It is clarified that the said doctor is not suspended," the institution said.

However, the responsibilities of the department have been assigned to another doctor to "ensure a fair inquiry" into the harassment complaint, it said.

The AIIMS administration handed over the charge of the CTVS department to senior professor Dr V Devagourou.

"In view of a complaint, the responsibilities of the head of the department of CTVS have been assigned to the next senior-most Professor of the same department, to ensure a fair enquiry," it added.

The AIIMS Nurses Union had filed a complaint with the AIIMS director and the Prime Minister's Office alleging workplace intimidation, harassment and repeated use of "vulgar, unprofessional and derogatory language" targeting the women staff.

"We have received information that during his morning rounds, Dr Bisoi intimidated nurses by openly threatening to teach a lesson to those who had complained against him. This amounts to retaliation and has created a hostile environment where nurses fear reprisal for raising genuine concerns," the complaint stated.

The union also accused Dr Bisoi of threatening to remove the complainant from her clinical posting as retaliation. The complaint described his remarks as "deeply derogatory," adding that they amounted to character assassination and gender-based humiliation.