Bhubaneswar, Feb. 4: A doctor was charged for molesting a woman patient in Bhubaneswar early this morning, but was granted bail in the evening after the victim filed a compromise petition in court.

Such a petition can allow the accused to get bail quickly. In such cases, an ultimate out-of-court settlement between the victim and accused is common. It was not immediately clear why the victim wanted to file such a petition.

Sources said the doctor was granted bail in the evening after the victim filed a compromise petition in court.

Mahila police today arrested the doctor posted at the city municipality hospital in Old Town for allegedly molesting a patient early this morning.

The doctor, identified as Manoj Tripathy, 45, was on night duty yesterday. He was in the casualty wing of the hospital on emergency duty when he allegedly committed the crime. The cops said a 35-year-old woman, who had come to the hospital around 2.30am complaining of stomach pain, brought the allegations against the doctor.

Cops said that after the victim’s husband lodged a complaint with the Mahila police, they arrested Tripathy early this morning from the hospital.

“The doctor was booked under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code and produced before court in the afternoon,” said deputy commissioner of police Nitinjeet Singh.

In his complaint, the woman’s husband said that after he reached the hospital with his wife, who was dehydrated and complaining of severe stomach ache, the doctor in question sent him to buy some medicines from nearby stores. While he was out to buy the medicines, the doctor started molesting her in the casualty ward taking advantage of the fact that she was alone.

When her husband came to the hospital with the medicines after around 20 minutes, the wife told him what had happened. They then informed the Lingaraj police and this morning lodged a formal complaint with the Mahila police.

A police team went to the spot and after preliminary investigation arrested the doctor. Though a medical examination on him was conducted around noon, the officials kept him in the police station till 5pm to avoid waiting journalists. Late this afternoon, he was produced in court. The doctor did not comment on the matter, nor did the victim or her husband, as they were planning to file a compromise petition.

Chief municipal medical officer Dinabandhu Sahu, who had come to the Mahila police station, said he was unaware of the matter. “I do not know what happened in the hospital. I have not received any written complaint regarding such a matter,” said Sahu.

The doctor had been posted at the municipality hospital for around two years. His colleagues and close friends said Tripathy had been framed.