Police accused of delays over probe into rogue surgeon Sam Eljamel – BBC News

Victims of Sam Eljamel have accused Police Scotland of “kicking the can down the road” more than five years after officers launched an investigation into the disgraced surgeon.

Campaigners outside the force’s Dundee headquarters said they had been “in limbo” since an inquiry was launched in 2018.

Mr Eljamel worked for NHS Tayside from 1995 until he was suspended in 2013 amid claims more than 196 patients were harmed by him.

Police Scotland said its investigation was “extremely complex” and inquiries were ongoing.

A public inquiry into Eljamel was announced last September, and victims have also previously filed evidence to police.

About 50 members of the Patients’ Action Group for Eljamel Public Inquiry staged the demonstration claiming there had been severe delays in the investigation, which is called Operation Stringent.

Charlie Huldal had a botched operation by Eljamel on discs in his neck in 2009.

He said: “Four years later I had to go private, costing £15,000, to correct an operation that Mr Eljamel said would last me for life.”

Mr Huldal said he submitted his evidence to police last September.

He said: “They said it would take two or three months – it’s now May and nothing has been done.

“These patients are dying, and it won’t be until years after their deaths that justice might be done.