Max Hospital case: Cops still wait for DMC reply

New Delhi: Delhi police’s probe into the case of the twin babies, one of whom was wrongly declared dead by the Max Hospital in Shalimar Bagh, may be delayed since it is waiting for the Delhi Medical Council’s (DMC) reply on the matter.

The DMC has already issued a notice to nine doctors and two nurses of the hospital on December 20 for alleged medical negligence in connection with the case and has sought a response from them in 15 days.

Currently, the case is being probed by Delhi police’s Crime Branch.

A police officer, privy to the probe, said that since the case was of medical negligence, they had to rely on expert’s opinion.

“Our officers have interacted with the doctors and nurses of the hospital. We have also spoken to the child’s family but there are some technical points that we need clarity on before we proceed ahead in the probe,” he said.

The officer said that the baby was 22-weeks-old and premature. According to medical guidelines, babies born before 22 weeks or around that time usually don’t survive and were not considered as deliveries.

There are medical guidelines, but the fact that the baby was declared dead despite being alive, was being probed, he said.

The officer said that they were awaiting the council’s report in the matter and probe will be based on the report.

The case pertains to a baby boy being wrongly declared dead after his birth on November 30 by the upscale private hospital. The other twin, a girl, was still-born. The infant boy died a week later at a Pitampura nursing home.   Meanwhile, the father of the twin babies has sought a court-monitored probe into the matter, alleging that the on-going 'tainted' probe may harm the prosecution case.

In the plea filed through advocate Rishipal Singh before a magisterial court in Rohini, Ashish Kumar has also urged that the station house officer concerned be directed to share the investigation’s progress details.

"Monitor the tainted investigation as it may harm the prosecution case and give direction to give a copy of status report," the plea said.