Lucknow: A Biology teacher, Shahsivendra Patel, posed as a doctor was arrested after a patient under 'his care' died. He duped families of Covid patients by promising to set up Intensive Care Units (ICU) at their homes.
He was caught after the wife of the deceased, P.K. Vashishtha, lodged a complaint against Patel.
Patel had been running a racket after he set up a 'smart clinic' after opening a medical firm, initial probe revealed. He claimed to be its zonal manager and chief marketing officer of this fake medical firm.
As the second wave began, Patel duped people by claiming to be a doctor & having a tie-up with a hospital. According to an IANS report, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), East Zone, Qasim Abidi said Patel used to contact Covid patients seeking medical consultation and treatment at home.
"He teaches biology to students of classes VI to X at a government school in Safdarganj, Barabanki. He used his basic knowledge of medical terms like oxygen saturation, pulse rate, blood pressure and other terms to impress patients and their attendants", the ADCP was quoted by IANS.
And added, "He even promised to set up a temporary intensive care unit at the residence of Covid patients and used to charge heavy fee for treatment. He used to wear a white apron like doctors but never visited the house of a patient himself. He would send his driver for treatment".
P.K. Vashishtha's wife filed a complaint which exposed the racket after Patel pressurised her to pay him Rs.1.5 lakh as his fee and expenses on treatment. She refused then Patel threatened her with dire consequences.
It is believed that there are many others involved with him in this racket and the police is currently collecting call details from phone to identify them. There are other sources that suggest Patel was involved in defrauding the education department, Patel's past will also be looked into to trace his criminal past.
With the spike in Covid cases during the second wave there have been rise in similar criminal activities. Recently, the Delhi Police Crime Branch Inter State Cell has busted a Nalanda-based interstate gang of cyber fraudsters who cheat desperate people looking for help. They would fool people in the pretext of supplying oxygen cylinders, concentrators etc. ask for money but nothing will turn up.