PCMC files FIR against three doctors for taking money for ventilator bed

On Saturday, the PCMC administration filed an FIR against a doctor with Auto Cluster hospital and two other doctors of a private hospital. Additional Municipal Commissioner Ulhas Jagtap had submitted the complaint to the Pimpri Police Station. In the complaint letter, the PCMC said, “The PCMC has set up a hospital for COVID patients at Auto Cluster. The treatment here is provided free to the patient. PCMC has appointed a contractor, Fortune Sparsh Healthcare Pvt to run the hospital.”

The complaint said, “At the PCMC general body meeting held on April 30, the corporators made serious allegations against the contractor running the healthcare facility. They alleged that one doctor from Auto Cluster hospital and two private hospital doctors took Rs one lakh from a patient for getting a ventilator bed in the Auto Cluster hospital. Since the allegations of money being taken has been made, we request you to kindly taken action in the matter….”

When contacted, Dr Amol Holkunde, CEO of Sparsh, denied that anyone from his facility took money. “Actually, it is the modus operandi of private hospital to make false call to Auto Cluster facility and then lie to them that a bed is available only on payment of Rs one lakh. These private doctors then send patient to Auto Cluster facility. If the family does not get the bed, they then return the amount. If the family gets the bed, they retain the amount. On our part, we admit the patients after they are referred to us by YCM hospital, Jumbo hospital or through civic helpline numbers. This facility is free of cost…PCMC pays us the contracted amount, why would anyone collect anything from the patien ?,” he said, adding, the allegations are baseless.

Corporators Kundan Gaikwad and Vikas Dolas who had first complaint to PCMC about the incident demanded a thorough probe to find out whether the racket runs deep. “We have already urged the municipal commissioner to launch a deeper probe and ensure that no money is taken from the patients,” he said.

Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil had promised the corporators that the guilty will not be spared. And accordingly, his administration filed an FIR on Saturday.