Adulterated platelets case: Allahabad HC denies bail to Prayagraj hospital landlord

A dengue patient had died following alleged transfusion of adulterated platelets at the said hospital in October last year

The Allahabad high court dismissed the bail plea of Pappu Lal Sahu, the owner of the building in Prayagraj in which a private hospital was being run where a dengue patient had died following alleged transfusion of adulterated platelets in October last year.

The applicant’s plea was that neither was he the owner nor shareholder or staff of the said hospital. (For Representation)

Justice SS Shamshery dismissed Sahu’s bail application. The applicant’s plea was that neither was he the owner nor shareholder or staff of the hospital. As per him, he was the owner of the building wherein the hospital concerned was running.

“The allegation levelled against the applicant was only that the complainant has made a payment of ₹25,000 in the name of the son of the applicant though there is no conclusive proof of the same,” argued the counsel for the applicant. The state government’s counsel submitted that the applicant was a part of a racket which was active at the time when the incident took place wherein adulterated platelets were sold.

“For a patient, hospital is like a temple wherein doctors are worshipped as a God. However, of late, there are many reported incidents that both management of hospitals and doctors are treating patients as a tool of earning money and for that they are indulging in such practice which are contrary to their Hippocratic oath and specifically when there are scarcity of medicines, medical instruments and platelets, as was in the present case,” the court observed in its order dated March 23 (Thursday).

The court said, “It was a time when dengue was spreading and obviously it was difficult to get platelets of the same blood group and black marketing of platelets was prevailing. Applicant is one such person, who was indulged in such unethical work.”

“He (applicant) has misused the trust of a patient and indulged in such activity with help of his son that not only took money but to provide such platelets which were not procured from a proper licensed place. Knowing well that it was adulterated platelets and may cause death of a patient, still he indulged in the activity of making money by procuring adulterated platelets and providing it to patients, which ultimately led to death of the deceased,” the court further observed.