The hospital’s explanation that the bones could belong to stillborn babies or aborted fetuses found no takers in the administration. The hospital told the police that parents often refuse custody of stillborn babies and they had to ask the sweeper to dispose of them.

According to hospital records, 371 deliveries were registered in 2006. Out of these, 10 were stillborn. And there is proper record of 31 abortions out of the 35 the hospital carried out last year.

Ratlam SP Satish Saxena said the duo has been booked under Section 318 of the IPC. “The hospital is authorised to only dispose of bio-medical waste and not bodies or body parts,” he said.

Williams, who was released on bail, alleged that there was a conspiracy against the hospital. “We know who is behind it and we will soon come out with details,” she said.

The Indian Medical Association’s Ratlam chapter submitted a memorandum to the district collector in support of the hospital.

Former president of the Ratlam chapter J M Subhedar said it is only in the past four years that the norms for disposal of bio-medical waste and body parts are being strictly implemented. “Till then, it was a standard practice for hospitals to leave the job to sweepers who often carried out the burial in hospital compounds,” he said.