Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court has rejected the bail application of a doctor accused of causing the death of two patients by performing unnecessary angioplasties under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) scheme. Justice M.R. Mengdey observed that the material on record established a strong prima facie case and ruled out the possibility of the accused’s innocence at this stage.
The case stems from a medical camp organized by Khyati Hospital in Borisana village. Several attendees were allegedly misled into undergoing angiographies and subsequently advised angioplasties based on claims of 80–90% artery blockages. Of the seven patients who underwent the procedure, two died from post-operative complications.
A probe by a team from Civil Hospital, Sola, and a medical opinion from U.N. Mehta Institute for Cardiology & Research Centre revealed that in several cases the procedures were unnecessary, and in some, extra stents were used beyond what was clinically required. The angiography reports—allegedly handwritten by the accused doctor—were also found to have been altered after an inquiry was launched.
Witness statements revealed that some patients had visited the camp with minor ailments and had no history of cardiac issues. They said they were coerced into the procedure under the threat of imminent death. The Court noted that such pressure tactics and the manipulation of records pointed to a deliberate abuse of the PMJAY scheme.
“This is not a case of simple medical negligence. It was a systematic attempt to mint money from the government through PMJAY,” Justice Mengdey said, adding that such misuse of a welfare scheme was alarming and merited serious legal scrutiny.
The Court also criticized the lack of post-operative care, noting that some patients were moved to general wards without specialist supervision, further endangering their lives.
The FIR in the case includes charges under Sections 105, 110, 336(2), 336(3), 340(1)(2), 318, and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The Court maintained that these charges cannot be dismissed at this stage and therefore denied the accused’s plea for bail.
