Khyati Hospital Director Arrested in Botched Angioplasty Deaths Case
Ahmedabad: The Khyati Multispeciality Hospital in Ahmedabad is under investigation after two PMJAY beneficiaries died following a botched angioplasty procedure. On Wednesday a bariatric surgeon and one of the hospital's directors was arrested in connection with the deaths.
According to the PTI report, with the latest arrest, the number of people apprehended so far rose to seven, including the CEO and the marketing director of Ahmedabad-based Khyati Multispeciality Hospital.
Based on a specific tip-off about his whereabouts in the Gota area, the city crime branch nabbed Dr Sanjay Patolia, a bariatric surgeon and one of the directors of the hospital, the crime branch stated in a release.
Dr Patolia, a full-time doctor in the bariatrics department, started the multi-speciality hospital in collaboration with other key accused, including the hospital chairman Kartik Patel and marketing director Chirag Rajput, police stated.
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The investigation was triggered by complaints from the families of two deceased patients, who were among seven individuals who underwent angioplasty at the hospital on November 11.
Angioplasty is a procedure that widens blocked or narrowed coronary arteries to improve blood flow to the heart.
Following the death of two persons, Dr Patolia went to another hospital in Rajkot before fleeing to Udaipur in a private bus and switching off his mobile phones, said the release.
He kept moving from one place to another including Delhi, Nathdwara, Pali and Ajmer to evade arrest. He travelled during the night in buses, police stated.
"Being one of the directors of the hospital, Dr Patolia used to make all important decisions regarding the patient treatment, starting new departments, and hiring doctors," the release stated.
Two other accused - hospital chairman Kartik Patel and director Rajshri Kothari - are still absconding, said the release, adding that Kartik Patel is abroad.
The investigations showed that the hospital organised free check-up camps in villages to convince PMJAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana) cardholders to undergo angioplasty despite no medical necessity.
Patients were falsely registered under the “emergency” category to expedite government approval. In return, the hospital claimed payments from the government, police stated.
A police officer had said the hospital prima facie earned Rs 11 crore under the scheme last year, with 70 per cent of its income coming from such claims.
Police have so far arrested visiting cardiologist Dr Prashant Vazirani, hospital CEO Rahul Jain, marketing director Chirag Rajput, marketing executive Milind Patel and his two assistants Pankil Patel and Pratik Bhatt.
On November 12, the city’s Vastrapur police registered three FIRs over the death of two PMJAY beneficiaries due to botched angioplasty and arrested Dr Vazirani.
Police have registered three FIRs, charging the accused with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. The FIRs accuse the hospital management and doctors of conspiring to obtain financial benefits under the PMJAY scheme.
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