Committee to probe Dr Lahane’s ‘unauthorised’ surgeries at JJ

A three-member committee has been formed by the JJ Hospital dean to investigate complaints against ex-dean Dr T P Lahane, who reportedly operated on patients without government orders. The committee will look into all doctors who may have conducted surgeries in the ophthalmology department without government orders. The move follows the resignation of Dr Lahane and Dr Ragini Parekh, head of the department, along with seven honorary consultants on 31 May, following a series of accusations against them and a strike by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors.

The JJ Hospital dean on Tuesday formed a three-member committee headed by the hospital’s medical superintendent to look into complaints about ex-dean Dr T P Lahane operating on patients without any government orders. Dr Lahane reportedly did this in the four months between retiring as director of the government’s Directorate of Medical Education and Research and becoming the coordinator of its Preventable Blindness-Free Maharashtra programme.

Mumbai, India - June 02, 2023: Dr. T.P. Lahane and honorary doctors of the ophthalmology department hold a press conference to address the residents doctors affiliated to MARD going on an indefinite strike because of Dr. Parekh and himself, at Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh, Azad Maidan, in Mumbai, India, on Friday, June 02, 2023. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

Earlier, the hospital’s inquiry committee had found evidence of Dr Lahane’s son, Dr Sumeet Lahane, seeing patients and conducting surgeries without permission. These included a surgery on a prisoner, a medico-legal case. Dr Sumeet had no post in JJ Hospital when he conducted the surgeries.

A senior official of the hospital said that the three-member committee would further investigate Dr Lahane and other doctors who may have operated in the ophthalmology department without government orders. “Medical records and CCTV footage will be checked for evidence,” he said.

The developments have followed the recent row, which began on May 22 after 28 ophthalmology resident doctors first wrote to the dean alleging that though Dr Lahane held no post in the department, he had been running the department dictatorially along department head, Dr Ragini Parekh, which was against the National Medical Commission guidelines at multiple levels.

The dean had earlier sent a notice to Dr Ragini Parekh where she was asked why an FIR should not be lodged against her and Dr Sumeet. “Since she has not responded, we will send Dr Parekh a reminder notice. If she still does not respond, we will seek the guidance of the higher authorities on what should be done,” said a senior official.

Meanwhile, Dr Ajay Chandanwale, joint director of DMER, is continuing to interview honorary doctors for the ophthalmology department. Sources said that six doctors had been finalised, including a senior doctor who was in JJ 21 years ago and had come to help the administration tide over the crisis created after Dr Parekh and seven honorary doctors resigned.

On Saturday, the medical education department also accepted Dr Lahane’s resignation from the post of coordinator of the Preventable Blindness-Free Maharashtra programme along with the VRS request of Dr Parekh. The duo had, along with seven honorary consultants in the ophthalmology department, tendered their resignation on May 31 after a slew of accusations against them and a strike by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors.