A 47-year-old junior consultant in general surgery at Nedumangad District Hospital was arrested after a junior doctor alleged that he attempted to sexually assault her at his private consulting room, with the Kerala health department later suspending him from service.
Nedumangad Police registered a case on Friday evening after receiving the complaint from the postgraduate medical student, according to the Times of India report. The accused, Dr Binu N K, was arrested on Saturday and produced before a court, which remanded him in judicial custody, police said.
According to the complaint, the alleged incident occurred on Friday afternoon after the junior doctor approached Dr Binu at the hospital’s outpatient department for a consultation. The accused allegedly asked her to come to his nearby private clinic for a more detailed examination. The complaint states that the alleged assault took place after she went to his private consulting room at his residence.
The junior doctor managed to escape from the room and alerted her classmates. They then approached the police, following which the complaint was lodged. Police said the investigation was launched based on the student’s testimony. The allegations have not been tested in court, and the accused has been remanded in judicial custody while the investigation continues.
The health department suspended Dr Binu within hours of his arrest. In its suspension order, the department said the alleged conduct had “brought disrepute to the department and govt”, citing his position as a government employee and medical practitioner. The order also referred to his alleged private practice during duty hours, describing it as prima facie serious misconduct.
The suspension was issued under Rule 10 of the Kerala Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1960, pending further proceedings. The departmental action places the case within two parallel processes: the police investigation into the alleged assault and administrative proceedings concerning the conduct of a government doctor during official duty.
The case also highlights the risks created when patients or junior medical staff are directed from a public hospital setting to a private consulting space without the institutional safeguards associated with a hospital examination. The supplied report does not state whether the hospital had received any earlier complaint, or whether the health department has ordered a separate inquiry into the alleged private practice.
Health minister K Muraleedharan said strict action would be taken against the accused and that the safety of women medical professionals was a government priority. “There is no doubt that action will be taken against the doctor. His track record is not very good, as far as I understand. I assure you that action will be taken,” the minister said.
The police investigation and departmental proceedings are now expected to determine the next steps in the case. The accused remains in judicial custody, while the suspension order stays in force pending further proceedings.
