Murder case to be registered against 6 trustees of charitable trust

Two of the trustees have obtained interim bail, while the other accused named in the FIR resigned from the Trust in 2016. Representation pic

The Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Mulund has directed the police to register a case, including murder charges, against six trustees of M/s Jivan Jyot Charitable Trust. The trustees were assigned the contract by BMC to hire qualified MD (Medicine)/MBBS doctors for the ICU of MT Agarwal hospital. However, the complainant alleges that the trust flouted tender norms by hiring doctors who did not meet the requirements.

RTI inquiries conducted by the complainant, Goldy Sharma, 43, have also revealed that one of the doctors appointed through M/s Jivan Jyot Charitable Trust was previously arrested by Malwani and Thane police. Additionally, there have been instances where genuine doctors who previously served at MT Agarwal hospital were impersonated, and their registration numbers were misused to issue death certificates. These serious lapses need to be investigated, as stated in the complaint.

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The racket came to light when Goldy Sharma, a businessman and social worker from Mulund, initiated an RTI probe into the ICU functioning of MT Agarwal hospital after his elder brother's death. Despite the FIR being registered, no arrests have been made as some trustees have sought anticipatory bail, with a hearing scheduled for today.

Sharma claims to have received threats from various people and has filed a police complaint regarding the same.

Five years ago, mid-day in its report ‘Outsourcing ICUs in peripheral hospitals is a waste of public money, say doctors' dated May 30, 2018, was the first to raise concern about outsourcing peripheral hospital's ICUs.

The FIR

The FIR filed by Goldy Sharma states that the BMC awarded a tender to M/s Jivan Jyot Charitable Trust to oversee and provide doctors for the ICU in shifts, including qualified MD/DNB medicine or MD/DNB/Anaesthesia doctors. The order was valid from May 17, 2018, to May 16, 2020, and the trust was to be paid Rs. 8.83 crore. The FIR also mentions the demise of his elder brother.

Despite seeking information through RTI regarding the qualifications of the doctors appointed by the trust, Sharma did not receive a satisfactory response. This raised doubts about the functioning of the ICU at MT Agarwal hospital. Sharma complained to Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburb), former Municipal Commissioner, DMC (Public Health), and Director, Medical Education Major hospitals (BMC), but no action was taken. Later as other incrementing facts came to light Sharma filed a private complaint and subsequent FIR at the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Mulund.

Complainant speaks

Goldy Sharma emphasises that his fight is not against individuals but against the system and trusts like M/s Jivan Jyot Charitable Trust, which he accuses of jeopardising the lives of innocent people for personal gain. He continues to receive threats but remains committed to fighting for the common man.

BMC speaks

BMC's Chief Medical Superintendent, Dr. Vidya Thakur, states, "MT Agarwal hospital doctors are cooperating with the Mulund police investigation."

Police speak

DCP Zone 7, Purushattam Karad, confirmed that the case is under investigation by Mulund police station.

Senior Inspector Kantilal Kothimbire of Mulund Police station said, "Notices have been issued to some of the doctors, and the inquiry is ongoing."

Investigating Police Inspector (Crime) Bhushan Dayma of Mulund Police station reveals that two of the trustees have obtained interim bail, while the other accused named in the FIR resigned from the Trust in 2016. The police investigation is still in progress.

When asked about the trust's current service to BMC, the police officer confirms that it is ongoing.

Other side

Efforts to contact the trust were unsuccessful. mid-day managed to reach the trust's former spokesperson, Dinesh Vibhute, who said, "I quit the trust way back in 2018, soon after the BMC tender was awarded to the trust. I have nothing to say about the trust or its trustees"