In an application filed before a special court conducting the Payal Tadvi suicide case, one of the accused doctors has made a plea seeking that it restrains the role of Tadvi’s mother.
Accused doctor Hema Ahuja through her advocate said in the plea that, "The sole intention of the intervener/complainant (Tadvi’s mother) is to ensure that the prosecution of the accused persons herein is made persecution”. It stated that all the replies and applications filed by her deserve to be dismissed and direction needs to be issued to her to desist from making unnecessary separate replies and applications in the matter.
The application cited the order passed by the court in March this year as per which Tadvi's mother is only allowed to assist the prosecutor and submit written arguments after closing of evidence in the case.
Ahuja said the intervener is trying to enlarge the scope of the permission granted by the court and it is seen that she is filing her separate reply to each and every application moved by the accused persons despite the fact that she is not permitted to do so.
“There cannot be two sets of prosecutors against the accused in a prosecution,” it said further.
Tadvi’s mother Abeda Tadvi had earlier this year made a plea for intervention in the case. Ahuja's present plea pointed out that the counsel for Abeda Tadvi had then made the submission that the intervention was moved only to the extent of assisting the prosecutor, to which the defence had given their no-objection. An order was then passed allowing the intervention to that extent. Ahuja’s present plea said that in view of the order, anything done by her beyond assisting the prosecution should be ignored and not considered.
Payal Tadvi, a student of post graduation course in BYL Nair’s Gynaecology and Obstetrics department had died by suicide on May 22 last year in her hostel room in the college premises. Her seniors Bhakti Mehare, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal have been booked for pushing her to end her life due to caste humiliation.
