Police probe two Shirdi doctors for laundering 4 crore

Nashik: The trustees of the Shirdi Sai Sansthan have lodged an FIR with the Shirdi police against two cardiologists working in the trust's hospital for allegedly laundering Rs 4 crore by favouring some companies while buying medical equipment.
The two doctors, Harish Bajaj and Gaurav Verma, were discharged from their duty at the Shirdi Sai Sansthan hospital around two years ago after the trust found irregularities in a number of activities that affected the revenue generation of the trust.The duo conducted many illegal activities including buying medical equipment from specific companies, forcing patients to undergo surgeries that were not required and being callous about the health of the patients.
But it was the petition filed by activist Sanjay Kale with the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court that prompted the police to file FIR on Tuesday following the court's directives.
RTI activist Kale, who had worked as a medical representative in 2014, said, "The incident came to light after a number of patients and private practitioners complained about the duo. In view of the discrepancies, the then administration immediately relieved the duo of duties. However, a number of RTI queries over a period of time revealed many facts against the doctors that were later submitted to the court in the form of a criminal writ petition."
According to the complainant, the two doctors, who were to supposed to purchase stents used for heart patients from four different companies, procured them from only one company that favoured them," he said.
This move affected the revenue generation of the trust, Kale added. "Besides, the doctors allegedly asked patients to undergo angioplasty even though it was not required. Moreover, the patients were not taken care of post treatment and were discharged within 24 hours of undergoing angioplasty," the activist said, adding that many patients had also complained about doctors carrying out angioplasty and related procedures without conducting pre-operation health check-ups mandatory as per regulations.
The patients had on many occasions complained of improper services and poor attention as well. The doctors were allegedly careless in other activities as well. "The cathlab was not sterilised and personal assistants were also allowed to enter the lab, which is illegal." Kale said.
Other such careless activities included not taking daily rounds of patients to know about their health conditions. "The doctors also allegedly compelled their counterparts to use medical equipment and other items prescribed from specific companies. No standard clinical safeguards were followed during the heart surgery procedures," he added.
Speaking to TOI, Kale further said the accused violated other norms by testing new stents on patients, which could have been life threatening.
Superintendent of police Saurabh Tripathi said an FIR has been lodged against the duo and the case is under investigation. "At present, we have not arrested the doctors. If the accused do not cooperate during the course of investigation, arrests would be made," Tripathi said, adding that nothing more could be discussed about the case as it was still under investigation.