UP Shocker: Cardiologist arrested for allegedly implanting low-quality pacemakers in around 600 patients

Etawah: Following a thorough two-year investigation into complaints made by patients who claimed to have been deceived by a doctor, resulting in the receipt of substandard pacemakers and subsequent health complications, the Etawah police arrested a cardiologist on Tuesday in connection with the case. 

According to a News18 report, the doctor was an assistant professor in the cardiology department at Saifai Medical University. The doctor allegedly implanted low-quality pacemakers in around 600 patients at the university between 2017 and 2019 which is also allleged to have resulted in the death of many patients following the complications from the poor quality. 

In addition to this, the doctor imposed exorbitant charges on the patients, asserting that it reflected superior quality and was imported, however, in return, the doctor inserted substandard pacemakers in the patients purchased locally. Some of the patients, who were covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, complained that they were forced to pay against receiving the pacemakers.

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The matter came to light when the patients who were experiencing severe health complications following the surgery complained to the authorities of the university. In response to the complaints, the Vice Chancellor of the Saifai Medical University Prof Raj Kumar constituted an inquiry committee to probe the matter.

During the investigation, the committee found that the devices were locally sourced at extremely low prices. The doctor purchased the pacemakers from a company at cheaper rates and supplied them to the patient at higher rates which is believed to be nine times more than the fixed price available at other institutions or hospitals.

Based on these findings, the then-chief medical superintendent (CMS) of the Saifai Medical College Adesh Kumar formally complained to the police in December 2021. An investigation began against the doctor and others in February 2022 after the doctor was found extorting illegal money from the relatives of patients in his chamber, the video of which went viral. Following this, he was suspended.

According to IANS reports, the police carried out a two-year-long inquiry into the allegations of financial impropriety and gathered evidence which revealed that the doctor allegedly went overseas five times with his family and the trips were allegedly sponsored by the companies that he was buying the substandard equipment from.

It was also discovered that the doctor purchased the pacemakers and other goods worth Rs 1 crore from a firm in the year 2019 despite one to one and a half years' worth of equipment being available at the Cath Lab of Saifai Medical University.

The doctor's role came to light after the police found in their investigation that many patients died after being fitted with the pacemakers supplied by the doctor at the university.

The doctor was arrested after the accusations were found true during the inquiry conducted by Etawah’s deputy SP Nagendra Chaubey. SHO of the Saifai police station, Mohd Kaamil led the police team to the medical university, where the doctor was arrested.

According to the Saifai SHO, the police have registered an FIR based on the complaint by the CMS and the findings of the probe.

Etawah SSP Sanjay Varma said, “The arrested doctor has been taken to Lucknow where he will be produced before the court that deals with cases lodged under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.”

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