Digital rape: What is this shocking crime that allegedly happened at Medanta Hospital ICU?

A technician employed at Medanta Hospital was arrested on Friday for allegedly sexually assaulting a flight attendant who was on a ventilator in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU), police said.

According to PTI, the accused allegedly committed what is legally defined as ‘digital rape’ inside the ICU room while two nurses were present but did not intervene.

What is digital rape?

The assault, reported to be a case of digital rape, was carried out in the ICU room while two nurses were present but did not intervene, according to a PTI report. The term ‘digital rape’ refers to non-consensual penetration of a person's private parts using fingers or toes. The word "digital" in this context refers to the digits of the hand or foot, not technology.

Unlike forms of sexual assault involving external contact, digital rape involves internal, non-consensual penetration, typically using fingers or toes. This makes it a deeply invasive and serious act of sexual violence. Such assaults can happen in a wide range of environments, including hospitals, private homes, public spaces, or even in police custody. The trauma resulting from digital rape often includes both physical harm and long-lasting emotional and psychological impact. This trauma can be even more acute when the victim is unconscious, sedated, physically restrained, or under intensive medical care, as was the case at Medanta Hospital.

Although still frequently underreported, digital rape is increasingly being recognised by medical professionals and human rights groups around the world as a severe violation of bodily integrity and personal dignity.

Another case that clarified the law

In a separate 2021 case, a Delhi court sentenced a man to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment for aggravated sexual assault on a two-year-old girl. The court ruled that no leniency should be extended simply because the case involved digital penetration rather than penile-vaginal rape.

The verdict was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Babita Puniya, who handles Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases. She rejected the defence counsel’s argument that digital penetration should be treated as a less serious offence. "I do not agree. The legislature has not made any distinction between digital penetration and penile penetration. Penetration, as per rape law, can be penile/vaginal, penile/oral, penile/anal, object or finger/vaginal, and object or finger/anal penetration. Thus, in my considered view, this is not a mitigating factor in his favour," the judge said in her ruling.

The court also dismissed other mitigating claims made by the defence, including the convict’s young age, status as a first-time offender, illiteracy, and alleged intoxication at the time of the crime. These were not accepted as valid reasons to reduce the punishment.

The man was convicted on January 17, 2025, under Section 6 of the POCSO Act (aggravated penetrative sexual assault), along with IPC Sections 342 (wrongful confinement) and 376-AB (rape of a woman under 12 years of age).

Medanta accused identified and arrested

The accused in the Medanta case has been identified as 25-year-old Deepak, a native of Muzaffarpur in Bihar, who had been living in Gurugram. Police said Deepak joined Medanta Hospital five months ago after earning a bachelor’s degree in Operation Theatre Technology from a private university in the area.

According to police, Deepak was arrested following an extensive investigation led by a special investigation team under Dr Arpit Jain, Deputy Commissioner of Police (headquarters). “Over 50 employees of the hospital and some doctors were questioned, and footage from 800 CCTV cameras was examined. After multiple analyses, we finally identified the accused and arrested him today. He has confessed to the crime,” Jain said.

The investigation began after the 46-year-old flight attendant filed a complaint on April 14. Police said the accused will be produced in court on Saturday, and the investigation remains ongoing.

(With ToI inputs)