Bombay Hosp: Cop claims doc charged Rs 1L for free operation

The Mumbai police has issued a show-cause notice to the Bombay Hospital after a police constable complained that a doctor from the hospital had asked him to shell out Rs 1 lakh ‘under the table’ for a knee operation. Policemen and their families are supposed to get free treatment at the hospital under the Maharashtra Police Kutumb Arogya Yojana.

The constable, identified as Sunil Tibe, recently approached the joint commissioner of police with his complaint, after which the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Headquarters 2, N Ambika, sent a notice to the hospital on Monday and sought an immediate reply. However, the hospital is yet to respond, said a police official, requesting anonymity.

No spokesperson for Bombay Hospital was available for comment at the time of writing.

According to the allegations, Tibe met with an accident in March 2014 and was admitted to Bombay Hospital for knee and ankle surgery. However, he alleged, the doctor who was to perform his operation contacted him before the operation and took Rs 1 lakh “under the table” for a “better operation” .

The police notice further stated, “Mumbai Police have received a complaint that doctors at the hospital claim they don’t get anything from the police scheme and all the funds go to the trust, causing doctors at the hospital to demand money from policemen and threaten them about the quality of treatment unless their demands are met.

The notice further stated, receiving money for the operation from the policeman is a violation of the agreement under theMaharashtra Police Kutumb Arogya Yojana and demanded an immediate reply from the hospital authorities. Mumbai Police spokesperson, DCP Pranay Ashok confirmed that a notice had been sent to the hospital but had no further comment.

According to Mumbai Police, around 35 hospitals from the city have a tie-up with the department, to provide free treatment to policemen and their families.