'We are being targeted by people with vested interests'

Inu00a0the past two weeks, the city's most high profile hospital - Ruby Hall Clinic - has been mired in controversy. From allegations of malpractices in the organ transplant centre to alleged misuse of FSI, a warrant against the top brass for not doing charity as stipulated by the law and a court case filed by the Charity Commissioner, the hospital has found itself in a difficult situation. In an interview, Bomi Bhote, CEO of the Ruby Hall Clinic, defended his hospital and said it was being targeted and there was no truth in the allegations.


In defence of the hospital: CEO of Ruby Hall Clinic talks to the MiD DAY
reporters. Pics/Jignesh mistry

The hospital has been accused of not having the necessary permission for organ transplants. Is it true the transplants were unauthorised?
We have been conducting transplants for the past decade and have done 850 transplants, so far. For every case, we have obtained prior authorisation, approval from organ co-ordination committee, video recording and all the procedures prescribed. Then why after so many years are we being targeted? Is it for cheap publicity? I have every paper in place to prove that we followed the procedure.

If that is true, why did you stop the transplants?
I stopped transplants because my back is against the wall. Out of sheer disgust and frustration, I decided 'to hell with transplants'. And that's because I don't want to be in the newspapers everyday for issues that are baseless.

The inspection committee pointed out that you have not followed procedures ufffd
The committee came here and spent four days during which they studied 350 files. After that they made notes based on an amended government resolution, which was issued in 2008. The letter regarding the same reached us in March 2010; we didn't even know about the change in law until then.

You had trouble with the PMC too over FSI and maintaining paperwork during ultrasounds?
Firstly, the matter over ultrasounds was so frivolous, it's a joke. They came and raided our ultrasound centre, sealed the machine and the reason? We hadn't maintained patient's records in Marathi but English instead. Now you tell me how big a crime was that? Secondly, the FSI row is also their fault. In the original development plan (DP), the land was earmarked for a dispensary. We applied to the PMC for permission to start a nursing college and hostel which they granted and we constructed it. Six years later, we come to know that they did not make changes in the DP after granting permission and have now gone to court, stating we made illegal constructions.

The hospital is also facing heat from the Charity Commissioner's office for not making adequate arrangements for providing free treatment to BPL patients ufffd
The hospital has provided Rs 9.5 crore worth of treatment free of cost in the past year, the biggest contribution by any private hospital in the city, and yet I'm told that our hospital doesn't do charity. This is ridiculous. Every month I submit a report to the Charity Commissioner, every quarter it is audited and in the beginning and end of each year, I submit a budget. Then why did they not ask questions then and accept all my reports? Why are they realising their mistake now? There is definitely something fishy.

Are you saying the hospital is being targeted?
Yes, definitely, there is no doubt about it. I know that there is one person, an extortionist who was our patient. He has been running to every government agency trying to indict us in some false case or other. But I am quite convinced that an individual cannot create so much trouble; he has support from a group behind him.

Who could be the bigger party behind this?
I don't know. But yes many politicians are unhappy because we don't process all their requests. People get admitted in our hospital, pay Rs 3 lakh and then come with a false ration card issued with the help pf politicians and ask us to refund their bill. Have you heard of anyone being issued a ration card, valid only for three months, for the sake of obtaining free medical treatment? If you think it's ridiculous, I have hundreds of such requests. And these are usually cronies of politicians. whom we refuse.