A 25-year-old technician at Medanta Hospital has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 46-year-old flight attendant who was on a ventilator inside the hospital’s ICU.
Police identified the accused as Deepak, a native of Muzaffarpur, Bihar, who joined the hospital five months ago after earning a degree in Operation Theatre Technology. He was arrested following a thorough investigation led by a special police team that reviewed footage from 800 CCTV cameras and questioned over 50 staff members.
The case has shocked the nation due to the location and vulnerability of the victim—the ICU room of a reputed hospital, where two nurses were reportedly present but did not intervene.
What is Digital Rape?
The incident has been legally classified as digital rape, a term that refers to non-consensual penetration using fingers or toes (the “digits” of the body, not digital in the tech sense). This form of sexual assault is considered highly invasive and can leave severe psychological and physical trauma—especially when the victim is unconscious, sedated, or otherwise helpless, as in this case.
Although digital rape is still underreported, it is increasingly being recognized globally as a serious violation of human dignity.
Legal Context
The gravity of such a crime was underlined in a 2021 Delhi court ruling, where a man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for digitally raping a two-year-old girl. The judge clarified that there is no legal difference between digital and penile rape, and both carry equal punishment under Indian law.
In the Medanta case, police have charged Deepak under serious sections of the law. He will be produced in court on Saturday. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have assured that accountability will be ensured at every level.
