Yasin Malik a Patient, Not Friend: Dr Kaul After NIA Summons

Dr Kaul was summoned by the NIA, reportedly over his comments criticising the Centre’s abrogation of Article 370.

Dr Kaul was summoned by the NIA, reportedly over his critical comments on the abrogation of Article 370.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Upendra Kaul)

Dr Upendra Kaul, a notable cardiologist and the Chairman of Delhi’s Batra Hospital who was summoned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), has hit back at rumours of him being close to Yasin Malik, saying that he has merely a doctor-patient relationship with the latter.

NIA had earlier confirmed to The Quint that Dr Upendra Kaul was examined as a witness by the body in a J&K terror funding case.

Soon after news of him being summoned by the NIA spread, rumours began floating around on social media, claiming that Dr Kaul had been summoned because of his relationship with Yasin Malik.

Speaking to The Quint, Dr Kaul retorted to the allegations, asking "what do you mean by a close relationship?".

Dr Kaul clarified that Malik wasn’t his childhood friend and was merely brought to him as a patient by the government of India, when he was in Jail in 1996-97.

According to him, every doctor should have a 'good relationship' with his patients.

"If he's a criminal and comes in, you don't stare in his eyes and slap him, or ask him, why did you do this. You're not supposed to do that," Dr Kaul said.

Dr Kaul stressed that he was just doing his job, and had not “gone out of his way and hugged Malik.”

Confusion Over INR, Says Dr Kaul

Dr Kaul also said that the agency had misinterpreted a text message between him and Yasin Malik.

“They found that there was a confusion with this INR thing. INR is a medical terminology that stands for International normalised ratio.”

Speaking on the Kashmir situation, Dr Kaul said that decisions must have been taken after "due deliberations."

"The country is supporting the decision, but only time will tell if this was the right decision or not."

Speaking to The Quint, Dr Kaul added that the National Investigation Agency has the "mandate to summon" a person who they have a suspicion on and that he respected their call.

Unverified Notice Doing the Rounds

Following news of Dr Kaul being summoned, an unverified photo of the NIA notice has been doing the rounds on social media. Addressed to Dr Kaul, the purported notice reads, “Whereas it appears you are acquainted with the circumstances of the case noted below, which is now under investigation by the NIA, Delhi.”

According to sources, Dr Sameer Kaul, a senior oncologist based in Delhi, as well as a Spokesperson for National Conference, was called by the NIA for an informal conversation earlier this month.

What Kaul Said on Article 370

A 2006 Padma Shri awardee, Dr Kaul had recently appeared on an NDTV talk show where he had criticised the removal of J&K's special status. Referring to the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley, Dr Kaul maintained that what happened in the 1990s was ‘bad’ and that a lot of his relatives were ‘uprooted’ in the process.

Then, questioning the present state of affairs in the Valley, he asked:

“Is it revenge now? What was done in 1992, are we taking revenge on Kashmiri Muslims now or Kashmiris now?”

Dr Upendra Kaul

(With inputs from NDTV.)