‘BMC renewed nursing home licence without my consent’

Dr Santosh Khandekar says the establishment is run by Dr Akash Bhatgire. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Doctor Santosh Khandekar, a paediatrician, was in for a shock recently, when he received an auto-generated email from the BMC, saying the registration of a nursing home in Mumbai where he worked, has been renewed. That's because Dr Khandekar has been working in Karnataka since 2021 and is no longer associated with the nursing home at Mahim. He is astonished that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) renewed the maternity and nursing home's licence without consent from or inquiry about him.

Speaking to mid-day, Dr Khandekar said, "I obtained a Certificate of Registration on September 22, 2021, to run a nursing home in the name Prabhat Maternity and Surgical Nursing Home. However, I vacated the premises of the nursing home on March 1, 2022 and since then am no longer associated with it. I learnt that Dr Shah then rented the premises to one Dr Akash Bhatgire, BAMS, who runs the nursing home in the same name." The licence for Prabhat Maternity and Surgical Nursing Home expired on March 31, 2022.

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‘Cancel the registration'

Dr Khandekar received the BMC's email on August 25. "It said the registration for Prabhat Maternity and Surgical Nursing Home has been renewed from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023. I work as senior medical officer at NTPC and have been posted at Bijapur, Karnataka, from July 21, 2022. Therefore, there is no question of me applying for renewal of registration. I have written a letter to Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal about this fraud. I want the registration renewed in my name cancelled and action against the BMC officials who renewed it."

Doctor who?

When questioned, Dr Rajesh Shah said, "I don't know who is behind the renewal of the license. I rented my premises to Dr Akash Bhatgire after Dr Khandekar left. Dr Khandekar has done all the formalities for surrender. I don't know whether he informed BMC about them."

Dr Bhatgire said, "I don't know who renewed the license in Dr Khandekar's name. I look after the management and day-to-day affairs of the hospital and have applied for a licence."

Dr Virendra Mohite, ward medical health officer G north, said, "A sanitary inspector, Ashok Mhatre, before retiring, made an application of renewal for the home in the name of Dr Santosh Khandekar without his or our knowledge. We have initiated action for the cancellation of the registration, and an inquiry has been set up against Mhatre. We are looking for similar cases."