Doctors convicted in kidney racket continue practice, court controversy

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 8

A controversy has erupted over non-cancellation of registration of five doctors despite their conviction in a kidney transplantation case.

There is a difference of opinion on the matter between office-bearers of the Punjab Medical Council. The matter has reached the state government with council president seeking directions for suspension of registration of the doctors even as they have filed an appeal against their conviction pronounced in November last year.

The doctors are Dr OP Mahajan, Dr Jagdish Gargi, Dr SK Grover, Dr HS Bhutani and Dr Rajinder Singh. They are currently on bail and their appeal is pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Of these, Dr Grover got his registration renewed last month which raised sharp reaction from within the PMC.

Council president Dr GS Grewal said as per rules their registration should be cancelled or suspended till they were acquitted. Another group argued that action should be stalled as the doctors were on bail after they moved the high court against their conviction.

Dr Grewal has shot off a letter to the state government through Secretary, Health, Hussan Lal, seeking instructions on the matter.

“The registration cannot be cancelled as the doctors have filed an appeal. We have given them provisional registration after an approval by Dr Grewal,” claimed Dr Gurdeep Singh Kalyan, Joint Director, Research & Medical Education, and Registrar, PMC.

Dr Grewal claims that he never gave the approval and was against the decision. He said the government was seized of the matter. “I have raised the issue in public interest,” he added.