Gujarat: Private hospital's botched angioplasty under health scheme killed 112 over patients, claims police probe

Ahmedabad-based Khyati Multi-speciality Hospital visited villages to conduct camps in villages and convinced PMJAY cardholders to undergo unwanted angioplasty.

Investigation by the Ahmedabad crime branch into the death of two Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) beneficiaries last month due to botched angioplasty has revealed more than a hundred such deaths and accounting fraud by the city-based Khyati Multi-speciality Hospital, reported PTI.

The Khyati Multi-speciality Hospital divided revenue from these cases under different sub-heads in their accounts to report a loss of ₹1.5 crore in their latest financial report.(HT Print)

Angioplasty is a procedure that widens blocked or narrowed coronary arteries to improve blood flow to the heart

The revelations come days after the Ahmedabad crime branch arrested Dr Sanjay Patolia, a bariatric surgeon and one of the directors at the hospital. Medical experts will be roped in to probe these deaths, police said.

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Bharat Patel said that nearly 8,500 patients received treatment or underwent different surgeries under PMJAY at the private hospital. 

“Of these, 3,842 persons received free treatment under government schemes such as PMJAY. Our probe has revealed that of these 3,842 beneficiaries, 112 lost their lives during or after treatment in these three years,” the official said.

Police also said that the hospital management, including the accused in the angioplasty death case, allegedly divided revenue from these cases under different sub-heads in their accounts to report a loss of ₹1.5 crore in their latest financial report.

Seven persons, including CEO Rahul Jain and director (marketing) Chirag Rajput have been arrested in connection with the case. Two more accused -hospital chairman Kartik Patel (who is abroad) and director Rajshri Kothari - are still absconding.

Police investigations revealed that the hospital visited villages to conduct check-up camps in villages and convinced PMJAY cardholders to undergo angioplasty despite no medical requirement for the procedure.

People, who agreed, were registered under the “emergency” category to expedite government approval for the procedure. Once the approval was granted, the hospital completed the procedure and claimed payments under the PMJAY scheme from the government, police explained.

On Nov 12, the police registered three FIRs over the death of two PMJAY beneficiaries and arrested visiting cardiologist Dr Prashant Vazirani. 

The FIRs accused the hospital management and doctors of conspiring to obtain financial benefits under the central government's health scheme. 

The accused was charged under sections relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.

(With PTI inputs)