Delhi Hospital Horror: 'Fake doctors were performing operations on 'outdated' table, reveals probe

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) Investigators have made shocking revelations about the south Delhi-based Agarwal Medical Centre, where surgeries were allegedly being performed without any valid permission by fake doctors.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Chandan Chowdhary told IANS that the operation table being used in the hospital was "second hand and outdated".

According to police, eight people died during or after surgery while one patient lost her uterus at the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team also visited the centre to gather evidence.

Chowdhary said that the police custody of three accused in Agarwal Medical Centre case has been extended for five days.

Last week, the police had arrested Dr. Neeraj Agarwal, his wife Pooja Agarwal (formerly an assistant), Mahender (ex-lab technician), and Dr. Jaspreet (MBBS, MS), based on "sufficient evidence" of planned surgeries by unqualified individuals.

"Neeraj, his wife Pooja and Mahender custody have been extended for five days," said the DCP.

On October 10, 2022, a woman from Delhi's Sangam Vihar filed a complaint claiming that her husband underwent gallbladder stone removal surgery at Agarwal Medical Centre on September 19, 2022.

"Initially, Dr. Neeraj Agarwal said that a renowned surgeon Dr. Jaspreet Singh would perform the surgery. However, just before the surgery we were told that due to some emergency Dr. Jaspreet Singh would not conduct the operation. It was done by Dr. Mahender Singh along with Dr. Neeraj Agarwal and Dr Pooja," the complainant said.

The woman further said in her complaint that she later discovered that Dr. Mahender Singh and Dr. Pooja were "fake doctors".

According to the complaint, her husband experienced severe pain post-surgery and was rushed to the Safdarjung Hospital where he was declared dead.

Chowdhary said that investigations revealed that Dr. Jaspreet Singh was not present during the surgery and had fabricated documents.

Seven complaints were filed with the Delhi Medical Council against Agarwal Medical Centre for negligence leading to patient deaths.

On October 27, 2023, another patient, Jai Narayan, died post-surgery. A Medical Board found deficiencies in the medical centre on November 1, 2023.

Further investigations revealed that Dr. Neeraj Agarwal was "frequently producing fake documents".

Police have also seized 414 prescription slips from the hospital that contained signatures of the doctors with considerable blank space being left at the top, and two registers containing details of patients whose abortions were conducted at the hospital. “Many banned medicines were recovered, as were many injections and expired surgical blades and original prescription slips of different patients,” the DCP added.