12 years ago, patient’s kin posed as doctor in clinic now under scanner

Bhushan alleged he was made to put on a white coat and sit on a chair in a cabin.

“I initially resisted and told him (Neeraj Agarwal) that this was wrong as I had no idea about surgery or any medical knowledge. But I had to give in as they were treating my wife who was bleeding profusely…I was told that a few patients would be coming in the next few hours and that there were not enough doctors in the medical centre at that time… One patient handed me Rs 25,000 cash for treatment… I kept it in the cabin drawer and removed the coat because I did not want to get into any trouble… I then pleaded with  them to treat my wife,” Bhushan, who lives in Pul Prahladpur, told The Indian Express.

A senior police officer, familiar with the probe, said, “We have now found out that in 2011, when the surgery took place at the medical centre, Bhushan had given a complaint at the Malviya Nagar police station, alleging medical negligence and also told police that the centre’s owner had asked him to don the clothes of a doctor and attend to patients for an hour at the centre if he wanted his wife to be treated properly.”

According to case files with the Delhi Medical Council, one of the doctors, who regularly referred patients to the centre, brought Bhushan’s wife who was bleeding profusely.

The doctor, who claimed to be a gynaecologist, carried out a medical termination of pregnancy but botched the abortion and this led to ruptures in the uterus and bladder and abdominal bleeding.

According to the files, the treatment was as per norms but when the Delhi Medical Council sought medical records, the medical centre did not provide any including consent forms from the patient.

Dr Neeraj Agarwal, in his statement to the Delhi Medical Council, said all the medical records in the case were with the police, that the centre did not maintain any copy, that he could not recall the names of the doctors who operated on the patient, and could not provide records of fees paid by the centre to any of the visiting doctors. In this case, the name of the referring doctor was removed from the medical register for a period of six months.

The disciplinary committee also suggested the removal of the name of Dr Neeraj Agarwal for being “highly unprofessional” and not following medical ethics. The council, however, let him off with a warning.

According to the officer, police could not trace Bhushan, the complainant, at his residence at that time due to a change in address.

Currently, the Delhi Police has lodged a case on the basis of the complaint of one of the victims, Asgar Ali, who died after being treated of gall bladder stone, at the Centre. They are set to lodge FIRs in several other cases of victims that have surfaced in due course of time.

Eventually, the case was converted into a complaint of medical negligence which was sent to the Delhi Medical Council, the conclusive report of which was received by Delhi Police a week ago, along with the reports of seven complaints of medical negligence.

DCP (South) Chandan Chowdhary said, “Shashi Bhushan lodged a complaint with the Malviya Nagar police station in 2011 regarding the medical negligence in the case of his wife. The case was then transferred to GK police station and was later sent to Delhi Medical Council (DMC).”

The DCP said that after due verification, an FIR will be lodged in the case. “Whatever comes up during the probe, investigation will be done accordingly,” she said.

Meanwhile, police have been granted five-day custody of three accused – Dr Neeraj Agarwal, Dr Pooja, Dr Jaspreet and former Lab Technician Mahender. Two other accused, Dr Jaspreet Singh and Zulfiqar, were sent to 14 days’ judicial custody.