Nagpur :- Activist Jwala Dhote on Thursday demanded an independent committee to probe the sting operations on illegal sale and supply of medicines inside Mayo hospital ward, describing the current inquiry committee as an eyewash.
Meanwhile, Tehsil police arrested pharmacy owner Rakesh Khandare in a late evening development on Wednesday. Khandare’s employee, Sumeet Sonulkar, was arrested earlier. Sonulkar was caught red-handed during the sting operation on February 15 selling medicines illegally inside the Mayo ward at the surgical complex.
Dhote slammed Mayo hospital authorities for their decision to engage their own heads of departments to probe serious allegations against doctors, and nurses, and the failure of the surgical department seniors. She said the outcome would be expectedly mild, protective and inconclusive, leading to nowhere.
“The episode reeks of a scam involving multiple departments of the government. The medicines are to be provided free of cost. But patients are told to purchase them from private pharmacists at higher cost,” said Dhote.
She said that many citizens had approached her organization — Anyay Nivaran Samiti — with complaints about non-availability of free medicines, patients being forced to get diagnostic tests done from specific diagnostic centres, and being told to buy medicines from particular persons or outlets.
“Does any inquiry committee indict its own colleagues, former batchmates and students? If they wanted to crack the whip, the inquiry should have been handed over to some retired judge and involved ex-deans and professors,” said Dhote. She said the actions of the police and Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) too were shocking, as they did nothing for three days until the media started reporting the matter.
“Police, FDA and Mayo hospital authorities gave ample time to the culprits to destroy all the evidence and remove any objectionable record which would have exposed their scam,” said Dhote.
Acting dean Dr. Maroti Koichade, ghead of the orthopaedic department, and also member of the internal inquiry committee said the final report would be submitted soon in a fair and transparent manner.
Khandare and Sonulkar were produced before the court on Thursday and granted bail. Sources said FDA’s non-involvement was the reason behind the two being granted bail.
Inspector Vinayak Golhe of Tehsil police station said the FDA is yet to furnish replies to police queries regarding seized medicines and injections, despite repeated requests, leading to the two accused getting bail easily.
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