On late Wednesday, police arrested one more doctor in the case at Auto Cluster COVID hospital, as a patient’s relative was charged Rs 1 lakh for a ventilator bed. The total number of arrests in this matter has gone up to four. Last week, three doctors, with one working at the civic-run facility and two private doctors were arrested. All these doctors are booked under sections that are related to extortion, cheating and criminal breach of trust. Police said that they have not ruled out the more possibility of arrests and the involvement of higher authorities.

Police have identified the accused as Dr Jyotsna Dandge. She was arrested after the interrogation of the three doctors who were already arrested, said the Deputy commissioner of police ManchakIppar. Ippar further said that the investigation is ongoing and if they find the involvement of other doctors then do not rule out the possibility of a few more arrests. He feels there is the involvement of some higher-ups also and they are investigating that angle.

Police said they were shocked by the involvement of doctors in such a pandemic situation. Doctors are held in high esteem and people are looking up to them as saviours. If they get involved in such cases then people will lose faith in the whole healthcare system.

Dr Amol Holkunde, CEO of Auto Cluster COVID hospital, said that he tested positive in April and was away for many days. After he recovered, he would come for an hour or so and he feels all this happened when he was not present. As soon as he came to know about the allegations against their consultant, he served a notice to him. He had denied his involvement and made allegations against the two private hospital doctors. Holkunde told him and the PCMC that they should lodge a complaint against the two other private doctors. The PCMC agreed and later they found that the PCMC had named their doctor also in the matter.

Dr Holkunde said they were ready for any kind of investigation. The entire staff at the hospital is in a shock state. The constant presence of police has unnerved the staff and they are trying hard to maintain calm and focus more on saving COVID patients.

Dr Holkunde said there won’t be any such allegations against the Auto Cluster hospital again as the PCMC has withdrawn all controls related to admissions and discharging patients. The PCMC doctors will only take the call regarding the admissions. Last year, they had put up a board stating that people should not pay any money for admission.

Source: The Indian Express