Delhi: Safdarjung doctor held in ‘cash-for-treatment’ scam – ET HealthWorld

NEW DELHI: The CBI has busted an alleged “cash-for-treatment” racket operating at Safdarjung Hospital and arrested a senior neurosurgeon, besides a south Delhi businessman and three middlemen, for malpractices and corruption. The accused doctor, Manish Rawat, is posted as an associate professor in the department of neurosurgery at the hospital and is a resident of Lodhi Colony.

The agency is probing offences ranging from demand of bribe from poor people for treatment to overbilling and money laundering.

Items sold at prices higher than MRP, profits shared with doctor

The arrested businessman, Deepak Khattar, is the owner of Kanishka Surgicals in Jungpura. The three middlemen have been identified as Kuldeep, Avnesh Patel and Manish Sharma.

“The accused doctor used to demand money for giving medical advice and conducting surgery, bypassing rules for treatment at the hospital,” said agency spokesperson R C Joshi. In three recent instances, bribes of Rs 1.15 lakh, Rs 55,000 and Rs 30,000 were allegedly taken from attendants through middlemen, prompting the CBI to act, sources said.

The CBI’s investigation has revealed that Patel, on behalf of Dr Rawat, told the attendants of the patients that he could manage an early appointment if they paid a bribe and if they agreed to procure the instruments required for the surgery from a particular shop.

Patel allegedly asked them to deposit the amount either in cash with Manish Sharma or Kuldeep – both employees of Khattar – or transfer it online on given mobile numbers linked to their bank accounts. “Thereafter, Dr Rawat decided the time for the surgery,” claims the FIR lodged by the agency. After the patient was discharged, Patel delivered Rawat’s share to him either in cash or as directed.

The agency claims that the doctor directed the patients through these middlemen to purchase the instruments required for the surgery from Kanishka Surgicals. The shop raised inflated bills, sold items at prices higher than MRP and later shared the profits with the doctor.

“Searches were conducted at various places, including Delhi and UP, which led to the seizure of incriminating documents and digital devices etc,” the spokesperson added.

The arrested accused have been produced in court and taken on remand for interrogation.

Safdarjung Hospital said in a statement that they had been informed about the arrest and the accused doctor was brought to the hospital for medical examination at 7.52am on Thursday. The ministry of health has been apprised of the developments.