Despite denial of wrong-doings, police say TIMS itself made such complaints to police

HYDERABAD: Despite denials by the state-run Tims hospital of any wrongdoing by its staff like extortion of money from patients even for extending basic health services, the police have confirmed that the Tims management itself has lodged such a complaint.

Assistant commissioner of police at Madhapur Raghunandan Rao told Deccan Chronicle that the management approached the Gachibowli police with a complaint on April 27, provided the names of three helpers and asked the police to investigate the matter.

Following this, a case was booked under section 420 (cheating) and a probe launched. 

It may be recalled that on April 27, Deccan Chronicle had in its report ‘Covid-19 patients exploited at Telangana’s TIMS hospital’ highlighted the plight of the patients at TIMS.

“The Tims management named staffers Md Imran, Md. Shafi Ahmed and Stephen, saying that they were charging money from the attenders of patients undergoing treatment for Covid19 at Tims. These staffers were asking money from the patient-attenders (relatives) for helping the patients with basic needs like changing their clothes, washroom cleaning etc. Accordingly, we booked a case and placed them in police custody,” said sub inspector Srisailam of Gachibowli police.

The employees were charging anything between Rs 300 and Rs 2,000 from the attenders. 

The arrests were made following a complaint from Dr. Nithin Kumar, the RMO at Tims, wherein he stated that Sai Securities Agencies has been providing patient care personnel to serve the patients and the government is providing them salaries through the agency. 

As per the FIR copy, which is in possession of Deccan Chronicle, on April 27, Dr Nithin and Dr Vimala Thomas went for rounds on the sixth floor and noticed Md. Imran collecting money through Google pay and phonepe. Later, they went to the fifth floor. There found Md. Shafi Ahmed and Stephen collecting money from patients through the merchant applications. 

“The RMO requested us to take necessary action against the three men for illegally collecting money from patients even as the government is providing them a salary,” police said. 

Meanwhile, cases were also booked against the management of the hospital by some patient-attenders, alleging that gold ornaments and valuables of their patients were missing. “We have received two such complaints in the last 15 days and booked cases. We will probe these matters. So far, no arrest was made. We are investigating the case,” said the Madhapur ACP.