Representative image of a gavel.
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New Delhi: A Delhi court has granted bail to a neurosurgeon of Safdarjung Hospital who was arrested in a case of allegedly forcing patients into buying surgical equipment from a particular store at exorbitant prices to get their surgery scheduled early.
Special Judge Anil Antil granted relief to Manish Rawat, noting that the trial of the case is yet to begin and is likely to take considerable time to conclude.
The judge imposed various conditions on the accused, including that he will not tamper with evidence in any manner, will not contact or influence the witnesses, and will not leave the country without the permission of the court.
“In the totality of the facts and circumstances of the case and taking note of the custody period of the applicant/accused, in the backdrop of the fact that no effective hearing has taken place since the filing of the charge sheet on May 29, 2023, i.e. for the last more than a year, and the fact that trial of the case is likely to take considerable time to conclude, which in fact is yet to begin... Rawat is admitted to regular bail,” the judge said in an order passed on July 16.
The judge directed him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety in the like amount and also ordered him to furnish his mobile numbers to the investigating officer (IO).
The CBI had accused Rawat of colluding with his accomplices to demand payment from patients for medical consultations and surgical procedures, all while violating the hospital's established protocols.
The CBI divulged that Rawat coerced patients into paying a price that was manifold over the actual price of the instruments, which he asked them to buy from a particular shop. The shop owner shared the profits of overbilling with the accused surgeon, the CBI alleged.
The investigation has further exposed Rawat's directions to his patients to deposit bribes ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1.15 lakh into a middleman's bank account.
The agency has also accused Rawat of siphoning off the excess money generated by the sale of overpriced surgical equipment, enriching himself and his co-conspirators through bribes, and laundering their ill-gotten gains through various companies controlled by Ganesh Chandra, a private individual in Bareilly.