Ahmedabad: The crime branch on Wednesday apprehended Dr. Sanjay Patolia, who had been evading authorities after the Khyati Hospital fraud came to light. The scandal, tied to the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) scheme, involved the deaths of two patients following stent procedures. Two other accused — Rajshree Kothari and Kartik Patel, the hospital’s CEO — remain at large.
Dr. Patolia began his career in 1999 as an assistant professor in the surgery department at Rajkot Government Hospital. He later transitioned to private practice as a gastro and bariatric surgeon. In 2005, he established New Life Hospital in Rajkot, followed by Asian Bariatric Hospital in 2014 on SG Highway, Ahmedabad, which was rebranded as Khyati Multispecialty Hospital in 2019.
To date, seven individuals have been arrested in connection with the case: Dr. Prashant Vajrani, Dr. Chirag Rajput, Dr. Milind Patel, Dr. Rahul Jain, Dr. Pratik Bhatt, Dr. Pankil Patel, and Dr. Sanjay Patolia. Rajshree Kothari and Kartik Patel are still absconding.
The controversy began on November 10, when Khyati Multispecialty Hospital held a free medical camp in Borisana village, Kadi taluka, Mehsana district. Of the patients who attended, 19 were admitted, and seven underwent stent placement. Tragically, two patients — Mahesh Barot (45) and Nagarbhai Senma (59) — died within hours of the procedure, performed by Dr. Prashant Vajrani.
Shockingly, Dr. Vajrani, who carried out the angioplasty and stent placement, was not part of the hospital’s authorized panel of doctors. He was arrested on November 14, the day he performed the procedures. Meanwhile, hospital owner Dr. Kartik Patel and several other doctors fled following the incident.
Authorities continue to investigate the fraud, which has cast a shadow over the implementation of the PM-JAY scheme.
