Consider setting up special police cell for medical negligence cases: Bombay HC to government

The Bombay High Court suggested Friday the state government should consider constituting a special cell of trained police officers to handle the registration of FIRs against doctors on the basis of complaints of medical negligence filed by the kin of patients.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish S Kulkarni was hearing PILs alleging improper Covid-19 management and a plea filed by Dr Rajeev Digambar Joshi, through advocate Nitin Deshpande, pertaining to the safety of doctors across Maharashtra and highlighting instances of assault on doctors by the kin of patients.

“You (government) are required to consider setting up a special cell in the police force to handle medical negligence cases. Like you have special cells for cybercrime, economic offences, similarly a special cell is required in these cases,” HC said as it posted the next hearing on June 16.