Journalism of Courage
The Pimpri Chinchwad police on Wednesday booked a doctor at Symbiosis University Hospital and Research Centre (SUHRC), a charity hospital at Lavale, Pune, for allegedly seeking money to operate on a patient.
The police have registered a case against Dr Pravin Wamanrao Lohote, 55, a resident of Chandan Nagar, on charges of extortion for allegedly taking Rs 20,000 from the relatives of the patient by allegedly threatening that she needs urgent surgery, or else her life is at risk.
The hospital confirmed that it has sacked Dr Lohote for violating its policy of providing free treatment to all its patients.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), SUHRC is a charity hospital, and the patient “should not be levied even a single rupee as treatment expenses”.
“But the doctor allegedly demanded money from her family for performing the surgery and refused to provide any treatment if his demand was not,” the police said in a statement on Thursday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Gaikwad stated that the police have launched an investigation into the case.
The police confirmed that no arrest had been made, but notices had been served on the doctor and others.
The police at Bavdhan station have registered a case under sections 308 (1), and 308 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on the complaint from the patient’s relative, Dilip Shivsharan, 38, of Uttam Nagar.
Dr Rajiv Yeravdekar, Provost, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Symbiosis International University, said that SUHRC is a charitable hospital that provides free treatment to all patients in the general wing. “Patients who are not covered under any scheme are funded by the Symbiosis Society Foundation towards expenses. In this case, the doctor concerned, a full-time faculty at the Department of Surgery, has charged the patient at the SUHRC, which is a gross violation of the institution’s existing policies. We have summarily terminated the doctor for violation of the code of ethics and informed the National Medical Commission and Maharashtra Medical Council about it,” Dr Yeravadekar told The Indian Express.
