Top Apollo hospitals official quizzed by Kolkata Police

Kolkata, March 22 (IANS) Two days after Apollo Hospitals Group Vice-Chairperson Preetha Reddy met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here, Kolkata Police on Wednesday quizzed group Vice-President-HR T. Karunakar regarding a case of hospital's alleged negligence in treatment of a patient.

"T. Karunakar was called by the investigating officers on Wednesday to Phoolbagan police station and questioned for more than hour," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Vishal Garg said.

Reddy had assured of working with the regulatory commission set up by the state government to monitor private hospitals, in addition to rationalising tariffs if needed and admitted its level of care has deteriorated.

Apollo Gleaneagles is facing a police probe following the death of Sanjoy Roy, a resident of Dankuni in Hooghly district, who was critically injured in a road accident.

Roy died on February 23 at the state-run SSKM Hospital after being shifted from Apollo.

Later, his relatives and friends accused Apollo of "inadequate treatment" even while raising a huge bill and refusing to allow him to be shifted to SSKM unless they paid up the full amount.

They alleged the hospital delayed his discharge and relented only after they submitted fixed deposit certificates.

A six-member Health Department team set up to probe the allegations against leading private city hospitals found "overall negligence" and other anomalies like improper billing, multiple charges and not following proper medical procedure during treatment.

Police have so far questioned a number of doctors and senior officials of the hospital in connection with the death.

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