The Pimpri-Chinchwad police is going to arrest three doctors for taking Rs one lakh from a COVID patient’s family for a ventilator bed in Auto Cluster hospital in Chinchwad which is run by PCMC.

Deputy Commissioner of Police ManchakIppar said that an FIR is filed against the three doctors and they will soon arrest them.

The PCMC administration had filed an FIR against a doctor working with Auto Cluster hospital. Also, two other doctors of a private hospital are booked. Ulhas Jagtap, who is an Additional Municipal Commissioner submitted the complaint to the Pimpri Police Station. The PCMC stated in the complaint letter that the PCMC has set up a hospital for patients infected with coronavirus at Auto Cluster. The treatment is provided free to these patients. PCMC has appointed Fortune Sparsh Healthcare Pvt as a contract or to run this hospital.

The complaint further stated that at the PCMC general body meeting was held on 30th April and the corporators made few serious allegations against the contractor that is running the healthcare facility. They suspected that one doctor from Auto Cluster hospital with two doctors from the private hospital took Rs one lakh from a COVID patient’s family for getting a ventilator bed at Auto Cluster. As the allegations of money being taken was made, they requested to take action in the matter.

At the civic general body meeting, corporators across the party lines had demanded for an FIR to be filed against doctors who took the money and the contract of Auto Cluster hospital to be scrapped. The ruling BJP corporators are in the forefront and are demanding FIR and action against those who are guilty. The Mayor Usha Dhore had instructed the civic administration to file an FIR against the doctors after hearing the corporators.

Dr Amol Holkunde, who is the CEO of Sparsh hospital denied this allegation when contacted. He said that it is the modus operandi of private hospitals to make false calls to Auto Cluster facility and then lie that a bed is available only on payment of Rs one lakh. The private doctors then send patients to Auto Cluster. They return the amount if the family does not get a bed. If the family gets abed, then they retain the amount. On their part, the patients are admitted after being referred by YCM hospital, Jumbo hospital or through any civic helpline numbers. This facility is free of cost and PCMC pays the contracted amount, so why would anyone collect money from the patient?

Corporators Vikas Dolas and Kundan Gaikwad had first complained to PCMC about such an incident and have demanded a thorough investigation to find out if the racket is running deep.

Rajesh Patil, Municipal Commissioner has promised the corporators that anyone who is guilty will not be spared. And thus, his administration filed an FIR on Saturday against three doctors.

Source: The Indian Express