Kerala: Senior government anaesthetist allegedly demands Rs 2000 bribe to prepone hernia surgery, arrested

Kasaragod: Cracking down on bribery activities in Kerala, the state vigilance department has arrested a 59-year-old doctor for allegedly demanding Rs 2000 bribe from a patient to prepone her hernia surgery at Kasaragod General Hospital.

Following this, the Kerala Health Department suspended the doctor from service based on substantial evidence. The suspension came after an allegation of bribery was made against the doctor.

The doctor has been identified as a senior consultant working at the Department of Anesthesia of General Hospital Kasaragod.

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As per a media report in Mathrubhumi, the arrest was made based on a tip-off from a female patient who claimed that the doctor had asked for a bribe of Rs 2000 in order to pre-pone a hernia operation at the hospital in July. The patient, a Kasaragod native, was experiencing severe pain and decided to seek medical advice from the doctor at the hospital. Unfortunately, the doctor informed the patient that the earliest surgery date available was in December.

Upon experiencing excruciating pain, the woman sought medical attention for the third time. Subsequently, the doctor asked for a payment of Rs 2000 to speed up the surgical process.

This prompted the woman to alert the department, and a vigilance team was formed under the guidance of DySP V.K Vishwambharan. The team then arrested the doctor from his home, who is currently in police custody after he was produced before the Thalassery vigilance court.

Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Kerala is an agency of the Government of Kerala constituted to investigate offences of bribery and corruption falling within the purview of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 in the state of Kerala.

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