Delhi Health Dept initiates action against Agarwal Medical Centre after police crackdown

New Delhi: Delhi Government's Health Department has issued a show cause notice to Agarwal Medical Centre for cancellation of its registration and closing it down, two days after police arrested four persons, including three doctors, for performing surgeries on patients without having any degree or authorisation.

“Agarwal Medical Centre situated at E-234, Greater Kailash Part-1, New Delhi, 110048 is registered with this Directorate under Section 5 of Delhi Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1953 for 03 beds for the period of 2021-24. The registration of the nursing home is valid up to 31.03.2024.

"Therefore, in exercise of powers conferred under section 7 read with section 8(1) of Delhi Nursing Home Registration Act, 1953, 1, Dr. Vandana Bagga, Link Officer of Director General, Health Services and Supervising Authority for registration of Nursing Homes/Hospitals, hereby issue a notice to show cause within one calendar month from the date of receipt of this notice, as to why an order of cancellation of registration in Agarwal Medical Centre should not be issued," it added.

According to police, on October 10, 2022, a woman from Sangam Vihar filed a complaint alleging that her husband underwent gallbladder stone removal at the Centre on September 19, 2022. Initially, Dr. Neeraj Agarwal claimed that renowned surgeon Dr. Jaspreet Singh would perform the surgery.

However, just before the surgery they were told that due to some emergency, Dr. Jaspreet Singh would not conduct the operation, which was done by Dr. Mahender Singh along with Dr. Neeraj Agarwal and Dr Pooja.

In her complaint the woman has said that later, it was discovered that Dr. Mahender Singh and Dr. Pooja were fake doctors. The woman stated in her complaint that her husband experienced severe pain post-surgery and was rushed to the Safdarjung Hospital where he was declared dead.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, South, Chandan Chowdhary had said that investigations revealed that Dr. Jaspreet Singh was not present during the surgery and had fabricated documents.

Seven complaints were filed with the Delhi Medical Council against Agarwal Medical Centre for negligence leading to patient deaths.

On October 27, 2023, another patient, Jai Narayan, died post-surgery. A Medical Board found deficiencies in the medical centre on November 1, 2023. Further investigations exposed Dr. Neeraj Agarwal for frequently producing fake documents.

"The autopsy report of deceased Asgar Ali indicated the cause of death as hemorrhagic shock due to complications from laparoscopic cholecystectomy," said the DCP.

On Tuesday, the police arrested Dr Neeraj Agarwal, his wife Pooja Agarwal, formerly an assistant who was allegedly pretending to be Dr. Pooja Agarwal, Mahender, a former lab technician, and Dr. Jaspreet Singh, who fabricated surgery notes.

The arrests were based on sufficient evidence of planned surgeries by unqualified individuals. Police have also recovered and seized 414 Prescription Slips containing only signatures of the doctors after leaving considerable space at the top of the prescription slips, and two registers containing details of patients whose abortions were conducted at the hospital.

"Many banned medicines were recovered, as were many injections and expired surgical blades and original prescription slips of different patients," the DCP added.