BENGALURU: Observing that government hospitals top in corruption, a Lokayukta Special Court said corrupt employees have created anarchy and eroded faith in the minds of common people, who depend on these hospitals due to poverty and their inability to get treatment in private hospitals.
“This is not the stage to decide the merits of the case and find out the guilt of the accused, who approached court for anticipatory bail. Though it is an open secret that the evil of corruption has become a business wherever we go in public offices, and government hospitals in particular,” the court said. Judge KM Radhakrishna made these observations while rejecting the anticipatory bail petition filed by accused Waheed, a ward boy at General Hospital in Yelahanka, Bengaluru, recently.
“Of course, one can extend mercy upon the accused of this nature, on the ground that he is just a ward boy or peon or attender, or a person holding a small post. But in fact, officials working in the capacity of ‘D’ Group have become a bribe collection machinery, rather than discharge their official duties,” the court said.
Manjula was admitted to the hospital for delivery on July 14, 2023, with labour pain. Gynaecologist Ramachandra KC allegedly told her and her family members that the lives of both the mother and unborn baby were in danger unless a Caesarean surgery was performed. For this, he demanded a bribe of Rs 15,000 and finally agreed to Rs 11,000.
The next day, he allegedly took Rs 10,000 as advance through ward boy Waheed and performed a Caesarean operation. Lokayukta police registered a case against them under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Material placed before the court prima facie indicates the involvement of the petitioner in committing the offence, without showing any mercy to the pregnant woman who was suffering from labour pain, the court said.
The peculiar facts of the case indicate the necessity of custodial interrogation of the petitioner to unearth the ground reality, and the officer involved with the petitioner in demanding and accepting illegal gratification, the court added.