Bengaluru: A retired gynaecologist from a government hospital in Tumakuru has been sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 20,000 for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000 from a pregnant daily wage worker in February 2021 to perform her delivery. The judgment was delivered by a special court for Lokayukta cases, comprising Judge Yasmin Parveen Ladkhan, who noted that the doctor, despite being a government employee, demanded money from a financially vulnerable patient during an emergency.
The incident occurred on February 2, 2021, when the pregnant complainant was brought to the hospital in labour pain by her brother-in-law. The doctor reportedly refused to attend to her unless Rs 3,000 was paid in advance. With the husband away for work, the brother-in-law managed to arrange Rs 2,000, which was handed to the doctor through a Group D staff member. When questioned about the impropriety of demanding money in an emergency, the doctor allegedly stated that nearly every patient paid Rs 3,000.
To substantiate the complaint, the brother-in-law recorded the conversation and lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta police on February 4, 2021. Forensic analysis confirmed the voices in the recording belonged to the doctor and the complainant’s relative. Based on the audio and other circumstantial evidence, a chargesheet was filed.
During the trial, Special Public Prosecutor N Basavaraju stated that the woman was in severe pain, yet the doctor remained indifferent. The court, considering all evidence, sentenced the retired gynaecologist to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000, with an additional six months of simple imprisonment in case of default.
