FIR against 2 Chandigarh Doctors for Medical Negligence

Chandigarh: Two doctors from Landmark Hospital, Sector 33, have been booked for medical negligence leading to a patient's death. Police registered the FIR against these two doctors eight months after the 74-year-old patient died.

Both Dr. Harsimran Singh and Dr. Parminder Singh have been booked under Section 304A (causing death of negligence) of the Indian Penal Code, HT has reported.

The complainant alleged that the doctors charged Rs 50,000 for the implant but despite this, used a substandard product. He also accused the hospital of engaging in unethical practices and misrepresenting facts to the patients.

He told HT, "The negligence of these doctors caused my mother immense suffering and eventually her death. I urge the authorities to cancel the hospital’s licence to prevent other families from going through this ordeal."

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Earlier this year, the complainant's father, an elderly patient, was admitted to Landmark Hospital on March 16, after suffering a femur (leg bone) fracture. Even though the hospital had been requested to use the best available implant that would be compatible with MRI scans. 

As per the latest media report by Hindustan Times, Dr. Singh performed the surgery, while assuring the family that the implant would meet these standards. However, allegedly, the patient was discharged on March 18, without adequate post-operative care or monitoring.

On April 3, the patient was taken to the hospital once again with symptoms of disorientation and the lab reports showed that the patient had critically low sodium levels. 

Allegedly, despite the patient's condition, the doctors did not admit her or take serious action and they sent her home by only prescribed medications. The patient suffered intense seizures the next day and was taken to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, where she was admitted to the Medicine ICU and was placed on a ventilator.

Even though the doctors at GMCH-32 requested clearance regarding MRI compatibility of the implant to proceed with further investigations, the Landmark Hospital doctors allegedly refused to provide written assurance.

The complainant alleged that the doctor directed the family to his father, who also declined to cooperate. The next day i.e. on April 4, the patient suffered seizures and died 12 days later in the emergency ward of GMCH, Sector 32.

When the patient's son filed the complaint, the Chandigarh Medical Board, chaired by Dr. AK Attri, Director of Principal of GMCH 32, started probing the matter. The medical board, also comprising senior medical professionals, found that the hospital was guilty of negligence.

The Board found that during the treatment, substandard implant had been used, patient had been discharged prematurely, there were symptoms of neglect and there was non-cooperation on the part of the doctors as well.

Further, taking note of the supportive documents, the Committee noted that the hospital doctors did not submit to the Committee the advice of the patient's admission due to low sodium or refusal by the patient or attendants.

Following this, police conducted legal scrutiny and took note of the opinions of the senior officers, including DDA (legal) and  registered an FIR under Section 304 A Indian Penal Code at Sector 34 police station on December 18. The investigation has been taken over by the Assistant sub-inspector Bala.

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