NANDED: A case has been registered against a private hospital here in Maharashtra for allegedly taking money in the name of treatment from family members of a COVID-19 patient even after his death, police said on Wednesday.
The man died on April 21 while undergoing treatment but his death was announced by the hospital authorities only on April 24 until his family members paid the amount asked by the facility, the official said quoting the FIR.
The man was admitted in the hospital and his relatives had paid a deposit of Rs 50,000. "On April 20, he was shifted to the ICU for further treatment. His wife was told to pay Rs 35,000 for injections on April 21. However, she requested more time to arrange the money, following which the hospital asked her to pay by April 24," the official said.
The complainant claimed she had paid Rs 40,000 in cash and Rs 50,000 via online mode to the hospital administration on April 24 morning, as per the FIR. "The death of the patient was declared by doctors at noon on April 24," the FIR said.
The complainant claimed the hospital, however, mentioned the timing of her husband's death as 11 pm on April 21, in the documents. She alleged the hospital authorities were demanding more money from her and not providing her copies of detailed bills.
She also alleged the hospital charged exorbitantly in violation of the government norms.
The FIR was registered after the complainant approached a local court. "A case has been registered at Shivajinagar police station of Nanded city on Tuesday against doctors and employees of the hospital under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for forgery and cheating," the official said.