Doctors negligent, says kidney scam report

The report of a three-member inquiry committee instituted by the state health department to probe the kidney racket at L.H. Hiranandani Hospital has found five doctors — including chief executive officer Dr Sujit Chatterjee and medical director Dr Anurag Naik — to be negligent on several counts. In the wake of the report, the police on Tuesday evening arrested all five — Dr Chatterjee, Dr Naik, nephrologists Dr Mukesh Shete and Dr Mukesh Shah, and urologist Dr Prakash Shetty — for their alleged involvement in the racket. The accused were produced in the Andheri metropolitan court and have been remanded to police custody till August 13.

The three-member panel comprised Dr Sujata Patwardhan, zonal transplant coordination centre (ZTCC) secretary, Dr Gauri Rathod, assistant director at the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), and urologist Dr Kalpana Mehta. Meanwhile, the DHS has also written to the Powai police to analyse call records of the doctors.

The panel report revealed that Dr Shetty and Dr Shah were allegedly involved in the kidney transplant racket. Their claim of never having met the donor and recipient before the scheduled surgery baffled the committee.

The investigation also revealed that a blank letterhead of Hiranandani Hospital signed by Dr Shete was recovered from the agents.

Also, the team of doctors signed various documents without verifying the originals. Brijkishor Jaiswal, an accused in the case, told the committee that Dr Shete was present when discussions on exchange of money took place. Dr Shah’s declaration did not match with the statement of the donor and recipient.

A committee member said, “Not meeting the donor and recipient before surgery was a violation of the law, which resulted in doubts and showed the role of the hospital and doctors involved in the transplant surgery on Mr Jaiswal. We also found Dr Shah, Dr Shete and Dr Shetty negligent in performing their duties as prescribed under the law.” The Maharashtra Medical Council has cancelled the licence of all the three doctors.