New Delhi: The fake hospital in South Delhi where two patients died after being operated on, allegedly by unqualified doctors, used to get people referred to it by a local pharmacy, sources said. Questioning of the arrested suspects led the police to the pharmacy, where they found the owner, Julfikar ran it without a valid license. The last patient, whose death at the Agarwal Medical Centre brought it under police lens, was referred to it by Julfikar, sources said.
A resident of Lal Kuan in the Prahladpur area, Julfikar was caught from his pharmacy. He was arrested after interrogation today, the police said.
Earlier this week, four people -- Dr Neeraj Agarwal, his wife Pooja Agarwal and Dr Jaspreet Singh - were arrested along with former laboratory technician Mahender Singh -- were arrested from the Agarwal Medical Centre after deaths of two patients who underwent surgeries. The patients' families have alleged that Dr Agarwal is a physician but he has forged documents and performs a varied range of surgeries.
Julfikar used to sell homeopathic and allopathic medicines at the clinic-cum-medicine shop in Sangam Vihar, sources said. But he did not have a valid license to sell medicines and had contacted Dr Neeraj Aggarwal. He had got Aggarwal's number from the cards that were distributed by the Agarwal Medical Centre employees in Sangam Vihar.
Eventually they arrived at an arrangement under which Julfikar sent patients who needed operation for kidney, gall bladder stones to the clinic. He also sent pregnant women for delivery and abortion.
Dr Neeraj Aggarwal agreed to pay him 35 per cent of the amount billed by each patient. The money was transferred through UPI, sources said.
The arrangement has been running for around six years, sources said. The last patient he sent was Asgar Ali, who died during treatment. Asghar Ali was admitted to the clinic in 2022 for gallbladder surgery, which was allegedly conducted by Pooja Agarwal and Mahendra
Julfikar used to send around 40 to 50 patients per month/year to the Agarwal Medical Centre. With Dr Neeraj Aggarwal charging Rs 15,000 to 20,000 for delivery, stone operation and Rs 5000 to Rs 6000 for abortions, Julfikar earned a substantial amount, sources said.
Police said since 2016, there have been at least nine complaints against Dr Agarwal, Pooja and the Agarwal Medical Centre.
In seven cases, patients died due to medical negligence, news agency PTI has reported, quoting police sources.