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HC asks Punjab health secy to probe Fortis Mohali billing row
The petitioner through advocate Vivek Salathia claimed that he approached the hospital for cataract treatment, typically costing Rs 50,000–60,000, but was subjected to two alleged “dummy procedures”
The High Court observed, “This court especially in the absence of respondent No.6 i.e. Fortis Hospital does not find it appropriate to direct police authorities or any other agency to conduct forensic audit or register FIR.” (File Photo)
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab Health Secretary to examine allegations of fraudulent billing by Fortis Hospital Mohali in connection with a cataract procedure and decide the patient’s grievance within three months.
Justice Jagmohan Bansal passed the order while disposing of a petition filed by Janmeja Singh, who alleged that the hospital raised inflated insurance claims by showing procedures that were not actually carried out.
The petitioner through advocate Vivek Salathia claimed that he approached the hospital for cataract treatment, typically costing Rs 50,000–60,000, but was subjected to two alleged “dummy procedures” on December 6 and December 21, 2024. According to him, injections costing about Rs 50,000 each were billed on both occasions without disclosure of batch numbers, and no actual procedure was conducted. He said the actual cataract surgery on his right eye took place only on January 20, 2025.
The plea alleged that the billing was done in connivance with insurance officials, leading to inflated claims, and sought an SIT probe, registration of an FIR and a forensic audit.
A Medical Board, in its report, found no medical negligence but said insurance-related issues were beyond its scope, while the police advised the petitioner to approach the consumer forum.
The High Court observed, “This court especially in the absence of respondent No.6 i.e. Fortis Hospital does not find it appropriate to direct police authorities or any other agency to conduct forensic audit or register FIR.”
However, the court flagged the core allegation for scrutiny, noting that “the question of charging Rs 50,000 on two different occasions with respect to an injection without disclosing batch number needs to be examined,” particularly since the petitioner claimed no such procedures were carried out and the Medical Board had expressed its inability to verify this.
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Accordingly, the court directed the Health Secretary to examine the grievance and redress it within three months.
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