2 touts arrested at SSKM Hospital for duping patient's kin with false admission promises

Kolkata: The Kolkata police recently busted an illegal broker network operating at SSKM Hospital, arresting two touts and detaining three others for allegedly duping the patient's relatives by taking money under the pretext of swift admission to the hospital.  

The two touts arrested were allegedly extorting money from patients' relatives by promising them hospital admissions without waiting in queues. Police investigation revealed that they targeted relatives of patients who have travelled from distant areas seeking medical treatment here at the state-run hospital.   

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Along with providing quick admission, the accused allegedly assured the patients of other medical services and contacts with hospital doctors. However, their activities were caught red-handed after a search of the hospital premises, which resulted in the busting of the network operating within the hospital campus.   

As per a TOI news report, the two accused are residents of Kalighat Road and Murshidabad. They were arrested on Monday, and an investigation is underway. 

"Many fall into the trap of these brokers. Kolkata Police has now taken steps to shut down this broker network," Joint CP (crime & traffic) Rupesh Kumar informed the Daily.   

Medical Dialogues team had reported a similar incident where a total of ten men were arrested for fraudulently taking money from patients by making fake promises of getting them admitted to the hospitals.  

The raids were conducted by the police after receiving a complaint from Md Adnan, a resident of Sagar Dutta Lane who had taken his mother to the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday and was rounded by touts who demanded money from him by promising to provide good hospitalization to his mother.

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