- U.L. Mbrook
- For BBC Tamil
Image source, Doctor Shafi / FB
Dr. SMM, who was released on bail after being remanded in custody for 60 days on three charges, including fraudulently sterilizing Buddhist and Sinhala women during a caesarean section for childbirth. The Ministry of Health has ordered Shafi to be reinstated and to be paid the compulsory leave for which he was sent on compulsory leave.
Secretary to the Ministry of Health S.H. These orders have been issued in a letter sent by Munasinghe.
Dr. Shabi was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department on May 25, 2019 while on duty as a Senior Physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital.
It is noteworthy that at the time of the arrest of the said doctor, he was arrested on the charge of adding assets in excess of the income. However, after that – Dr. Shabi was accused of fraudulently sterilizing thousands of women and obtaining funds from terrorist organizations to carry out their purposes.
Allegations leveled against Dr. Shafi that he had unknowingly fraudulently sterilized Buddhist and Sinhala women undergoing caesarean section for childbirth at a government hospital had sparked inter-ethnic tensions.
What is the background?
Two days before Dr. Shafi’s arrest, a popular Sinhala newspaper published a report entitled ‘After a caesarean section at a hospital in Kurunegala, a Tawheed Jamaat doctor performed family planning on 4,000 Buddhist Sinhala women’.
The next day, a university professor (who is currently the Minister of State) posted a picture of Dr. Shafi on his Facebook page, referring to him as the doctor mentioned in the press release.
The affair became a sensation in the media and the story spread rapidly across the country.
Image source, JodiJacobson / Getty
Cesarean – File image.
Dr. Shafi was arrested on May 25, 2019, the second day after the press release.
It is noteworthy that the then police spokesman said that Dr. Shafi was arrested on the charge of amassing wealth in excess of his income.
This was followed by a series of reports in some media outlets that Dr. Shafi had fraudulently sterilized thousands of women, and this was questioned in Parliament.
In this context, the police have asked the victims to lodge complaints in connection with any fraudulent contraception by Dr. Shafi. Hundreds of women subsequently filed complaints against him.
Dr. Shafi, who was arrested, was detained for 46 days under the Crime Prevention Department and 14 days in jail.
Following his arrest, it was announced that he would be sent on compulsory leave from his job.
Bail in the absence of sufficient evidence
As the case against Dr. Shabi was filed in the Kurunegala Chief Magistrate’s Court, 615 complaints were registered against him for fraudulent contraception.
However, the preliminary report submitted to the court stated that there was not enough evidence to prove the charges against him. No further objections have been issued on the part of the Government – to grant bail to Dr. Shabi.
Following this, on July 25, 2019, the Kurunegala Chief Magistrate’s Court granted bail to Dr. Shabi.
Dr. Shabi commented
Dr. Shafi’s wife, a father of three, is also a doctor.
Dr Shabi told BBC Tamil that he had performed a total of more than 7,000 caesarean sections during his tenure.
Dr. Shabi said he was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department when he decided to file a complaint at the police station against a professor who had contacted him and posted on a newspaper report that 4,000 women had been fraudulently aborted.
Dr Shafi told the BBC that the case had not been called for re-trial after he was granted bail, as the first phase report submitted to the court stated that there was insufficient evidence to prove the charges against him.
Image source, Getty Images
He, meanwhile, said he had not received the letter from the secretary of the health ministry or notifications to join the service (until yesterday the 17th).
Following the release of Dr. Shafi on bail, he submitted a request to the Health Services Commission of the Public Service Commission – through the Secretary of the Ministry of Health – to reinstate himself.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Shabi had contested the 2015 parliamentary elections in the Kurunegala district on behalf of the All Ceylon People’s Congress (ACPC) led by Rishad Bathiudeen, long before he was implicated in the allegations.
Divergent statement
In this context, the Secretary to the Public Service Commission, M.A.B. Daya Senarath said.
Dr. S.S.M. He added that neither the Ministry of Health nor any of its affiliates had yet made any request for advice on whether to pay Shafi’s outstanding salary or reinstate him.
He said in a statement that neither the Public Service Commission nor the Health Services Commission had issued any such suggestions regarding Dr Shafi.
However, he added in the statement that the officers have the right to act in accordance with the provisions of the Establishments Ordinance on the provisions relating to the reinstatement of officers who have been sent on compulsory leave.