[2] It later emerged that a large number of deaths occurred after the hospital's oxygen supply was cut on 10 August, during which Khan was present at the scene, over non-payment of dues.
Khan was hailed as a hero after media outlets reported that he had spent his money to buy oxygen cylinders after the piped supply had been cut, and worked overtime to remedy the situation.
[8] While in prison, Khan wrote a 10-page letter, detailing his version of what transpired when the deaths at BRD Hospital occurred due to the oxygen supply being cut.
He carried some in his car and arranged with the deputy inspector general of police for a truck and manpower from the Armed Border Force to deliver the others.
[11] Over 200 health professionals and allied activists wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, demanding justice for Khan, his immediate release and the dropping of "false charges" against him.
[12] On 19 April, while responding to an RTI query, the BRD administration admitted that it was facing shortage of oxygen cylinders on the night of 11 August 2018.
This incident however took place in the Humayunpur North area near JP Hospital, 500 metres from the Gorakhnath Temple, where the UP chief minister was staying that night.
The Uttar Pradesh Police stated that the death was unconnected to Khan's case and appeared to be in relation to a property dispute.
[27] The departmental inquiry suggested that Khan had, until 2016, engaged in private practice in addition to his work at the hospital, which was alleged to be a violation of service rules.
[31][32] The Uttar Pradesh Police filed a first information report (FIR) accusing Khan with committing an offence under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code, which relates to "Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony".
[33][34] The FIR alleged that Khan's speech amounted to a criminal offence because it "sowed the seeds of discord and disharmony" among students, and included disparaging remarks against Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
[44] On 26 June 2020, a group of officials and experts in the United Nations called on the Indian government to release political prisoners who had been arrested for protesting India's Citizenship Amendment Act, including Khan.
[45] On 1 September 2020, the Allahabad High Court ordered Khan to be released immediately, and dropped the charges under the National Security Act 1980 against him.
[44] In November 2023, Uttar Pardesh Police filed a case against Khan (and "four or five unidentified persons") for allegedly inciting people against government and creating hatred in society through his book, The Gorakhpur Hospital Tragedy: A Doctor's Memory of a Deadly Medical Crisis.
[48] The complaint also mentioned that five unknown people were discussing Dr. Khan's book, removing the government and creating division in society.
Khan has also written several articles for news outlets and journals: In 2021, his book, The Gorakhpur Hospital Tragedy: A Doctor's Memory of a Deadly Medical Crisis was released.
Originally in English, the book was later translated into Malayalam, Hindi (at first being pulled by the publisher due to political pressure according to Khan), Urdu, Marathi and Tamil.