Police uncover pharmacy link to fake hospital in Delhi medical racket scandal
text_fields
New Delhi: Amidst the ongoing investigation into a fake hospital in South Delhi, police have revealed a significant link between the facility and a local pharmacy, shedding light on a disturbing medical racket that allegedly resulted in fatalities due to surgeries performed by unqualified individuals.
Sources disclosed that the sham hospital, where two patients lost their lives post-surgery, had a concerning association with a nearby pharmacy, facilitating patient referrals.
The discovery stemmed from the interrogation of arrested suspects, leading authorities to the pharmacy owned by Julfikar, operating without a valid license. Notably, the recent patient whose demise at the Agarwal Medical Centre triggered police scrutiny was referred there by Julfikar.
Julfikar, a resident of Lal Kuan in the Prahladpur area, was apprehended from his pharmacy after an intensive investigation, culminating in his arrest by the police.
Earlier in the week, four individuals - Dr. Neeraj Agarwal, his wife Pooja Agarwal, Dr. Jaspreet Singh, and former laboratory technician Mahender Singh - were arrested from the Agarwal Medical Centre following the deaths of two patients post-surgery. Allegations surfaced from the families, asserting that Dr. Agarwal, posing as a physician, engaged in a range of surgeries based on forged documents.
Investigations revealed that Julfikar operated a clinic-cum-medicine shop in Sangam Vihar, retailing homeopathic and allopathic medicines without a valid license. He established contact with Dr. Neeraj Aggarwal, allegedly obtained from cards distributed by Agarwal Medical Centre employees in Sangam Vihar.
An agreement ensued between Julfikar and Dr. Neeraj Aggarwal, where Julfikar referred patients in need of various surgeries, including kidney and gall bladder procedures, alongside pregnant women seeking delivery or abortion services, to the clinic. Dr. Neeraj Aggarwal purportedly agreed to pay Julfikar 35% of the billed amount for each patient, with transactions executed via UPI.
This illicit arrangement reportedly operated for approximately six years, with Julfikar sending an estimated 40 to 50 patients monthly/annually to the Agarwal Medical Centre. The center, charging Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 for procedures like delivery and stone operations, and Rs 5000 to Rs 6000 for abortions, led to Julfikar's substantial earnings.
According to police sources, since 2016, there have been at least nine complaints against Dr. Agarwal, Pooja, and the Agarwal Medical Centre. Disturbingly, seven cases involved patient deaths due to medical negligence, reflecting the dire consequences of this medical scandal.
