Diverting Patients to Private Hospitals : Odisha Police arrest 14 touts from 3 state run hospitals

Similarly, five other such touts were also arrested from District Headquarters Hospital, Bolangir, on Thursday morning, said Director General of Police (DGP) B K Sharma.

"As part of our sustained efforts to weed out fixers, police arrested 5 middlemen cheating patients in DH Hospital, Bolangir. On the basis of FIRs, they are being forwarded to court. Further investigation to identify others in the operation continues," Sharma said in a Twitter post.

"The accused were influencing some patients and their kin for treatment at private hospitals. They were also demanding money for providing them medicines which are available at state hospital free of cost. Detailed investigation into the incident is underway and the number of arrests might go up," said Sambalpur SP Kanwar Vishal Singh.

Also read:- Govt doctor takes Rs 6,000 bribe to operate on patient; Arrested

After arresting four persons from Capital Hospital in the city, the Twin City Police Commissioner Sudhanshu Sarangi has also requested citizens to report any such instance to the police.

A police officer said middlemen used to get 10 to 20 per cent of commission for sending patients to private nursing homes and diagnostic centres from government hospitals.