05 February,2024 06:45 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah Khan
Shatabdi staff deliberately fracture fingers to make an ordinary offence seem serious; (right) a large amount of tea powder is given to fake a severe medical condition as a result of trauma. Illustrations/Uday Mohite
A new twist has emerged in the Shatabdi hospital fake medical certificate case. Investigations conducted by the hospital administration, in coordination with the Kandivli police, have uncovered discrepancies in the medical certificates submitted in two cases registered at the Malvani and Bangur Nagar police stations last year. It has been revealed that the medical certificates presented to the police were not issued by the on-duty doctor.
Specifically, while the first page of the case paper containing the name and entry number of the doctor was in the handwriting of the duty doctor, but the details of the case written on the back side of the page were written by another individual the report falsely indicated that the victim had suffered a fractured finger and ear injuries in both cases. Based on this misleading medical information, the police registered an FIR under the relevant sections of the IPC and arrested the accused.
Upon discovering this discrepancy, the Malvani police promptly registered a case under various sections of the IPC against the complainant in the first case and several other unidentified individuals. Similarly, the Bangur Nagar police are in the process of registering a case. However, no arrests have been made in either case thus far.
During the police investigation, several modus operandi were uncovered detailing how hospital staff would transform manipulated ordinary cases into serious ones in exchange for monetary compensation.
Fracture a finger
Convert ordinary offences like non-cognizable crime section 323 or 324 into cognizable offences like section 326 of IPC.
To make an ordinary offence seem serious, Shatabdi hospital staff allegedly employed various methods, including deliberately fracturing a finger. After receiving sums of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000, they would administer a numbing injection into the complainant's finger. Then, they would break the finger using different techniques. One method involved bending the finger forcefully until it fractured, while another involved shutting a vehicle door abruptly with the finger inside to cause the fracture.
After the injury, the individual would be taken to the hospital, where a doctor would examine the finger and note the injury in the medical records.
The complainant would then present the report to the police officer at the station, who would accept the doctor's statement as accurate and file a case based on the medical report.
Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000
Cost of fracturing a finger at the hospital
Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000
Cost of converting minor wounds to deep wounds
Non-cognizable offences case to cognizable case like 323, 324 of IPC section cases into 326 and 307 of IPC
To escalate minor wounds into severe ones, agents may enlarge the victim's wound, typically by 3 cm to 10 cm or more, using maximum stitches in the hospital. This service costs around Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000, and if further hospitalisation is needed, it can go up to Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000. This procedure usually takes place in a two-room setup on Shatabdi hospital premises, near the mortuary or in a parked ambulance.
After this, the victim remains in the hospital, sparing them from going to the police station. Instead, the hospital informs the police, who then visit to record the victim's statement, review the doctor's report, and examine the stitches on the wound. These stitches play a crucial role in determining the severity of the case filed by the police officer.
These tactics are often used during clashes between groups or individuals, especially by those aware of the serious legal consequences. Their main aim is to intimidate the other party and pressure them into reconciling after a dispute.
Unfortunately, the most vulnerable person in such situations often suffers the most from these tactics.
The tactic involves the complainant purposefully consuming a significant amount of tea powder to fake a severe medical condition as a result of trauma. It is believed that this powder accumulates in a region of the stomach, causing a visible white spot during X-ray examinations. These findings are typically documented in medical reports, resulting in the filing of charges for serious offences.
However, doctors have informed mid-day that tea powder or any other ingested substances cannot be detected in X-rays examinations. While they can be identified through sonography tests conducted with specific medications, X-rays do not reveal such substances at all.
Tampering with case papers
Patients used to obtain a case paper from the hospital by paying R10, typically including the hospital's stamp and an identification number. The doctor records medications and medical records on it. However, sometimes, hospital staff may alter the paper's backside, mimicking the doctor's handwriting to include false information.
When this modified document is submitted to the police station, it becomes the basis for filing an FIR against implicated individuals. In two cases at Malvani and Bangur Nagar police stations, the complainants colluded with hospital staff to fabricate similar false information on the backside of the case paper. This led to cases being registered under Section 326 at both stations.
This came to light when police requested detailed medical reports from the hospital for charge sheets. Discrepancies in the case papers were noticed by the doctors, who informed the police stations. An investigation lead to cases being filed against the original complainants for cheating, forgery, and conspiracy, in addition to previous serious charges.
The Malvani police booked seven accused for allegedly assaulting and molesting two women in Malvani's Azmi Nagar locality on November 29, 2023. A confrontation erupted between the complainant's family and their neighbours, involving seven individuals from the neighbouring family, including women. They reportedly assaulted the complainant and her relatives with bamboo rods, fists, kicks, and also violated their modesty.
After a medical examination at Shatabdi hospital, a report revealed a woman's finger fracture. Prompted by her complaint, the duty officer registered a case against the seven individuals under various charges. One person was arrested on the same day, while the remaining six obtained anticipatory bail from the court.
During the investigation, Officer PSI Nanasaheb Ghadge requested a detailed medical report from the hospital to file the charge sheet. However, a discrepancy was found by the doctor. Upon recording the statement of the doctor who filed the report, it was revealed that while the handwriting on the front page belonged to him, the details on the back page did not. Consequently, a case was registered against the two women and their associates under multiple charges.
In Bangur Nagar, a cross-case of assault between two groups in Laxmi Nagar locality was registered last year under CR numbers 556/23 and 572/23. One person sustained an ear injury, based on a medical report. We have booked individuals from the opposite group under various sections of the IPC, including Section 326. The medical report provided to the police was forged. According to the hospital, the details written on the backside paper were by someone other than the doctor. However, the report found in the hospital records shows a grievous injury in the original case paper, as stated by senior inspector Pramod Tavde from Bangur Nagar police station.
"The four accused were arrested based on the fake medical certificate report and remanded to judicial custody during the investigation. Two staff members of Shatabdi hospital confessed to five crimes last year and one this year. They have not confessed to forging the case paper, so we suspect several other gangs working in the hospital and engaging in forgery in the case paper. We are investigating further," said an officer.
"We have also found a link to WhatsApp chats and call history between the absconding accused Shivbahadur Yadav, arrested accused Abdul Hamid Khan (security company owner), and arrested Shatabdi hospital staff Vasu Yashwant Thombre and Babu Sayyed (Bhagwati hospital ambulance staff)," added the officer.
