The Gujarat Medical Council (GMC) on Wednesday said it has suspended the medical registrations of two doctors, accused in the alleged PMJAY racket, for a period of three years. The decision came into effect on February 11.
While an order was passed against Dr Sanjay Mulji Patolia, a Bariatric Surgeon and Director of Ahmedabad Bariatrics and Cosmetics Pvt Ltd, the holding company of Khyati Multispeciality Hospital, the other was against Dr Shaileshkumar Amrutlal Anand, the former General Manager of the PMJAY scheme in Gujarat.
Notably, two PMJAY beneficiaries from Mehsana district had died on November 11 last year following an angioplasty procedure at the Khyati Hospital. Two days after the deaths, an FIR filed by the Gujarat government in the case had alleged that the deceased did not require the procedure in the first place.
In case of Dr Patolia, the order stated, “As provided by section 22(1)(b)(i) of the Gujarat Medical Council Act, the name of Dr Sanjay Mulji Patolia, one of the Directors of Khyati Multispeciality Hospital, who is registered for MBBS and MS Surgery, is to be removed from the register of medical practitioners for the period of three years.” The inquiry in this case was undertaken on the request of the Additional Director of Medical Services. Taking suo motu cognizance of the matter, the GMC took into consideration the report of the medical expert committee of the Gujarat government and heard arguments on behalf of Dr Patolia by his wife.
Notably, Dr Patolia and eight others from Khyati Multispeciality Hospital were, on November 13, 2024, booked in three separate FIRs for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other serious crimes in the racket they were allegedly running by abuse of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana-Mukhyamantri Amrutam (PMJAY-MA) scheme.
In case of Dr Anand, the order stated, “As provided by section 22(1)(b)(i) of the Gujarat Medical Council Act, the name of Dr Shaileshkumar Amrutlal Anand, Government Official connected with PMJAY, who is registered for MBBS and DMC, is to be removed from the register of medical practitioners for the period of three years.”
In this case, the council heard arguments on behalf of Dr Anand by his brother.
On December 17, 2024, Dr Anand was booked along with eight other accused for allegedly being part of the conspiracy to grant approval of PMJAY cards for people ineligible to be beneficiaries under the scheme, besides forgery and criminal breach of trust.