BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Wednesday placed a doctor couple, arrested for allegedly prescribing low quality high priced anti-cancer drugs, under suspension.
The couple - Dr Surendra Nath Senapati and his wife Dr Dipti Rani Samanta were posted as Professor in Radiation Oncology department and Assistant Professor in Medical Oncology department of Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre (AHRCC) at Cuttack.
They were booked by the vigilance for possession of assets of nearly Rs 3 crore disproportionate to their known sources of income.
"Dr Senapati and Dr Samanta were arrested on September 16 and are in judicial ustody for a period exceeding 48 hours. They have been suspended from the date of detention and are not allowed to leave headquarters without prior permission," a release stated.
Along with the couple, proprietor of a pharmaceutical company was also arrested. The arrested businessman was identified as Sudhansu Das, proprietor of M/s JBSL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals in Cuttack.
A case was registered against the three following allegations that the doctor couple prescribed JBSL brand anti-cancer drugs to patients covered under Odisha State Treatment Fund (OSTF) and Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana (BKKY) of the State Government in which drugs are supplied to patients free of cost.
Vigilance department had carried out raids at six places including at the workplaces of both the doctors to unearth details of their assets.