National body defends member doctors booked for extortion of bariatric surgeon

The complainant doctor was the organising secretary of the conference.

The Obesity Surgery Society of India (OSSI) has defended six of its members in the extortion case filed recently by prominent Pune-based bariatric surgeon who is also a former principal secretary of the society in Pune. In a statement issued by Dr Arun Prasad, president of Obesity Surgery Society of India ; and Dr Praveen Raj, secretary of OSSI, said, "There is no personal issue between them and we are also investigating on behalf of the society. As a society, we refute all allegations claimed. We feel that all allegations are motivated, concocted and baseless."

The Obesity Surgery Society of India (OSSI) has defended six of its members in the extortion case filed recently by prominent Pune-based bariatric surgeon who is also a former principal secretary of the society in Pune. (HT File Photo)

The six named in the case were identified as Dr Surendra Dhore Patil from Pune; Dr Mufazal Lakdawala from Mumbai; Dr Suredra Ugale from Hyderabad; and Dr Rajesh Khullar, Dr Pradeep Chowbe and Dr Atul Peers from Delhi. A case under Sections 385 (extortion), 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 500 (defamation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the doctors at the Samarth police station on Wednesday.

“They are very respected members with great reputations and contributions, with one of them being the past president of the society and past president of IFSO (world body of bariatric surgery). Two others are past presidents of OSSI and one of them is the current president of the Asia Pacific Chapter of IFSO,” the Obesity Surgery Society of India statement reads.

Two of the six doctors who were booked, according to Obesity Surgery Society of India , were investigating "financial irregularities" during surgery of obesity and metabolic disorders (IFSO) - Asia Pacific Conference (APC) 2017 which was held in Goa. The complainant doctor was the organising secretary of the conference.

When the complainant said that she wanted to run for the post of president of Obesity Surgery Society of India , the doctors started a smear campaign against her through email. She had to answer questions related to the contents of the said emails to various people, according to her complaint. In February, the doctors called her to Delhi for an emergency meeting and mistreated her before asking her for Rs.15-20 lakh in order to stop spreading emails, she said. She has submitted copies of the emails to the police.