Delhi: Safdarjung Hospital neurosurgeon among five held by CBI for illegal practices

New Delhi [India], March 30 : The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday arrested a neurosurgeon of Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi and four others for allegedly being involved in illegal activities and accepting money in exchange for medical advice.
The arrested persons have been identified as Dr Manish Rawat, associate professor in the neurosurgery department, Safdarjung hospital; Avnesh Patel, Manish Sharma, Deepak Khattar, proprietor of a shop, and Kuldeep.
"It was alleged that the neurosurgeon in conspiracy with other accused, who were acting as middlemen, a proprietor of a surgical shop, was indulging in illegal activities and taking money for giving medical advice and conducting surgery of the patients and bypassing laid down rules regarding treatment in the Safdarjung Hospital," officials said.
It was further alleged that the neurosurgeon directed the patients through these middlemen to purchase the instruments required for surgery from the Kanishka Surgical shop, owned by another accused Deepak Khattar.
The accused persons compelled the patients to pay an amount for the instruments higher than the actual price and used to get a share in the overbilling by the said shop.
It was further alleged that bribes of Rs 1,15,000, Rs 55,000 and Rs 30,000 were taken recently in three different instances from the attendants, patients of Dr Rawat, through a private person in the bank account of the other accused. "The same was done on the directions of the neurosurgeon," the officials added.
It was also alleged that the accused neurosurgeon was laundering his illegally earned money through companies being managed by a private person.
"Besides this, searches were conducted at various places including in the national capital and Uttar Pradesh, which led to the recovery of incriminating documents, digital devices etc.," officials added.
The arrested accused will be produced before the court in Delhi on Thursday.