'Decision to send rape victim to Singapore not political'

The government on Saturday maintained that the decision of airlifting the Delhi gangrape victim to Singapore was in the interest of the patient and not a political decision.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the government decided to send her abroad following the advice of doctors in Safdarjung Hospital, where she was treated before being flown out to Singapore, AIIMS and Dr Naresh Trehan, chief of privately-run Medanta Medicity.

"It was not at all a political decision. It was in the interest of the patient we had taken the decision," he said when asked whether political compulsion forced the government to send the 23-year girl to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore where she passed away this morning.

"Doctors of AIIMS and other doctors met and they suggested that it is better to take her to a critical care hospital in Singapore where more care can be given. It is at the advice of the doctors at Safdarjung hospital, AIIMS and Dr Trehan.

"No other doctors were consulted. So, how can other doctors now express their opinion. We discussed whether to send her to America, London or to Singapore. It was suggested that Singapore is nearby and has a very good hospital for critical care and trauma. That is how the decision was taken," he told reporters.

Shinde said those doctors, who were criticising the decision to send the girl abroad, had never treated the girl and had no idea about her condition.

The home minister also said that police will file the charge sheet as soon as possible and ensure early conviction of the accused. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid had on Friday said that the 'shifting was not done due to some political reasons. It was done for medical purposes. It was purely a medical decision take by the doctors".