Father accuses Bokaro General Hospital staff of offering newborn for Rs 2 lakh; inquiry ordered

Bokaro: An internal inquiry has been ordered at Bokaro General Hospital (BGH) after a father accused a sanitation worker and three nurses of offering to hand over his newborn daughter to another family in exchange for Rs 2 lakh. 

The hospital, operated by Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL), has denied any wrongdoing and stated that the complaint is being examined.

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The complainant, a resident of Circus Maidan, alleged that hospital staff approached him after his wife gave birth to a baby girl through normal delivery on October 29.

According to the father, the staff suggested that the family give up the newborn, citing their poor financial condition and inability to raise the child.

“They told me that we are financially weak and would not be able to raise the child properly. They suggested that we give the baby to someone else for Rs 2 lakh. I refused,” he alleged.

He further claimed that he subsequently faced difficulties in meeting his wife during her stay at the hospital.

Speaking to TOI, BSL spokesperson Manikant Dhan said the woman had been admitted to the BGH labour room on Oct 29 in an advanced stage of labour. “She was suffering from severe anaemia, with a critically low haemoglobin level of 2 g/dL,” he said. She had received one unit of blood at Bokaro Sadar Hospital a day earlier. “Despite her high-risk condition, doctors successfully managed the delivery, and she gave birth to a baby girl the same day,” Dhan said.

The BSL spokesperson also said the final bill for the treatment of the mother and newborn was approximately Rs 37,000, against an initial deposit of Rs 10,000.

Considering the family's financial condition, the hospital discharged them on November 1 without insisting on payment of the outstanding amount, he added.

Meanwhile, a video purportedly showing a conversation between the family and a sanitation worker has surfaced on social media. However, the authenticity of the video has not been independently verified.

Chas SDO Prajal Dhadha said Sector IV police have initiated an inquiry. “A report will be submitted by the officer in charge, based on which further action will be taken,” he said, reports TOI.

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