Doctors booked for failing to notify COVID-19 cases

Two doctors and a contractor have been booked for not reporting COVID-19 cases to the health department. Two cases have been registered in this regard based on complaints by a BBMP officer and a resident.

Ramakrishna, BBMP Joint Commissioner, Bommanahalli division, has filed a complaint against doctors Dr Altaf (43) and Dr Avinash Singh (46), and Iliyaz Pasha (38), a resident of Mangammanapalya and brother of COVID-19 patient P911.

Ramakrishna said the two doctors had information about P911 in ward 190 (Mangammanapalya). But neither of them nor the patient’s brother brought it to the notice of the health officials or the authority concerned. The three accused have been held responsible for P911 infecting several other people.

Ramakrishna told DH that the two doctors and Pasha have been quarantined.

"People coming across COVID-19 patients or those with symptoms should inform the authorities. We will continue to file complaints against those who fail to notify the cases,” the joint commissioner said.

An investigating official from the Bandepalya station said the police have taken up a case under IPC Sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection or disease dangerous to life) and 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule). Once the doctors' quarantine period is over, action will be taken against them, he added.

Bimesh, a 26-year-old car driver residing in Hongasandra, has filed a complaint against Sathya, a contractor. Bimesh told the police that Sathya, who lives in the same neighbourhood, had brought labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states to work at a construction site.

He accused Sathya of ignoring social-distancing norms and cramming 10 to 12 workers into one room in a building where they had been accommodated. One of the labourers had contracted the disease and it had spread to a few others who were in primary contact with him, Bimesh said.

An investigating official from the Begur police station said a case has been taken up against Sathya under IPC Section 269 on Thursday. “We have asked officials to give us a list of the COVID positive patients in the labour shed for further investigation,” he added.