A doctor who sexually assaulted a minor girl who came for treatment was arrested in Kozhikode. Senior Pediatrician Dr. C M Aboobacker (78) was charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). Suspiciously, this is not the first time the same Muslim doctor has come under the scanner for atrocities against young girls.
Kozhikode Kasaba police said that the incidents related to the case took place on 11 April and 17 at the doctor’s Clinic near Chalappuram in the city. The complaint is that the doctor sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl who came to the clinic. Aboobacker sexually abused the girl who entered the examination room with her brother.
The victim is a tuberculosis patient and has been treated by Aboobacker for some time. She stated that Aboobacker had grabbed her body parts before too. The doctor’s behavior mentally disturbed the girl, and she informed her family.
Then the family filed a police complaint. Based on the complaint, Kasaba police Inspector N Prajeesh reached the clinic on Monday night and arrested the accused.
Aboobacker was produced in court and remanded to 14 days, but he complained of chest pain. He was then shifted to the Medical College Hospital under judicial custody. Locals said there were similar complaints and protests against the doctor earlier too. Since the victims were not ready to file a written complaint, the cases were closed.
Former Naxalite and the president of the Anweshi (a social activist’s forum), K Ajitha, alleged that the harassment complaints against Aboobacker were being settled by using political influence and paying money. In 2013, Anweshi came forward and filed a complaint of physical abuse of a nine-year-old girl who had been treated at the clinic.
When the child returned home from the clinic and showed mental difficulties, the family learned about the abuse and reported it to Childline officials. There were injuries on the child’s body. A complaint was lodged with the police, and an FIR was lodged. A case was filed under the POCSO Act.
Later on, the family sent a letter to the police showing that the child had a misunderstanding. The court then dismissed that case. It was alleged that the family withdrew from the case due to tremendous pressure from Aboobacker, his cronies, and local authorities.
Locals demanded strict action against Aboobacker. It is alleged that despite continuous complaints, the pedophile doctor is escaping from the law. It has been pointed out that the absence of concrete action leads to recurring child abuse.
Doctors agreed that such pedophiles should not be allowed to practice when such complaints are raised against them. The organizations should approach the Medical Council of India, said Dr. K P Aravindan.
Dr. Jose O, State President of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), confirmed that Aboobacker is a member. Jose claimed they removed the pedophile doctor from the organization’s official positions. He added they asked the national leadership to expel him from the association if the court convicts Aboobacker in the current POCSO case.
He added that the court acquitted Aboobacker in the earlier complaint. The association cannot say whether the case was disposed of through a settlement as it respects the court order. In 2013, when the POCSO case arose, the state committee removed him from official positions.
Do such conflicting statements from doctor’s associations managed by Abrahamics help build confidence?
Aboobacker is practicing in a private clinic after retiring from the government medical college. In 2018, Aboobaker received the award for the best doctor of the Marxist-run Kerala government for the best modern medicine doctor in the private sector despite allegations of child molestation. Interestingly, he is a Congress leader, and his wife is a Corporation Counsellor.
