GUWAHATI: A neurosurgeon, Dr Navanil Barua who had allegedly admitted the 29-year-old model Rajkanya Baruah, accused in a road accident case, to a city-based private hospital on October 3 by signing a “false medical certificate” about a head injury, was arrested by Guwahati police on Sunday after a three-day interrogation on charges of harbouring the model.
However, he was granted bail five hours after his arrest.
DCP (East), Guwahati, Subrajyoti Bora told TOI that a new case has been registered against the doctor for harbouring the model (IPC 212)), causing disappearance of evidence of offence and or giving false information to screen the offender (IPC 201) and criminal conspiracy under 120B of the IPC.
A court here in Guwahati on Friday sent model Rajkanya Baruah, accused in the road accident case, to judicial custody while police questioned the neurosurgeon and the superintendent of the private hospital for allegedly helping her avoid police investigation.
Rajkanya skipped police interrogation on Wednesday citing that certificate.
On Thursday, the police had arrested her from the ICU of the hospital on the basis of a government medical panel of six doctors, which found her fit to appear before the investigating officers.
The police had filed a fresh case against the 29-year-old model, who was allegedly driving in an inebriated state and had knocked down eight roadside workers, injuring one of them seriously.
Before entering the interrogation room at Dispur police station, Navanil Barua denied the allegation that he was protecting Rajkanya by issuing false certificates. He, moreover, said he did not even know the accused. “I did not help her. Whatever I did, I did it by following the medical ethics,” the neurosurgeon said.
Director general of police (DGP) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta on Saturday said Dr Navanil Barua had called him on the phone on October 4 before the model got arrested.
