JOIN US'Insane' way of money-making at Sahuji medical university
They were supposed to cure mental patients and help in their rehabilitation. But they were found to have certified several sane people officially “insane” for a few hundred rupees.
After the recent kidney racket at another medical institute in the state, officials at Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Medical University have busted another scam in the psychiatry department of the varsity, which would supply fake certificates declaring people “insane” or “lunatic” by fudging records of genuine patients for hefty amounts.
The matter came to light when a person sought information from the varsity under the Right to Information Act about issuance of a certificate declaring him “insane” by the psychiatry department.
It was found that the records had been tampered with and some other patient’s registration number was shown in the certificate.
Then the administration formed a three-member committee to probe the matter. The committee found that a racket was active in the department and the forgery had been going for a long time.
“We have no idea how many fake certificates have been issued,” said an official. The certificates come handy in cases of divorce, property disputes, leave from work and to show oneself medically unfit.
“These certificates are in great demand. You may grab your brother’s properties by showing him to be of unsound mind in court with the help of certificates issued by the varsity,” the official added.
The probe also found that the racket was going on with the connivance of some employees in the psychiatry department.
The method was simple. The employees first recorded the person in whose name the certificate has to be issued. This was entered in the registration file.
They then issued an outpatient department ticket of a genuine patient, and issued a certificate using the details of the genuine patient, changing only the name.
The varsity officials have filed an FIR. Police said they are investigating the matter. Some employees of the department were also questioned.
Some months back, a kidney racket was busted in Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences. The gang members lured poor people into selling their kidneys.