Doc accused of graft to do Covid duty

Ahmedabad: Looking at the shortage of medical staff to deal with the recent surge in Covid-19 cases, a rural court at Mirzapur on Monday granted bail to a private doctor arrested on graft charges on the condition that he will have to treat Covid patients in public hospitals.

As a bail condition, additional sessions judge J A Thakar directed Dr Naresh Malhotra of Aditya Multi-speciality Hospital to render his medical service without delay to Covid-19 patients admitted to Civil Hospital and hospitals run by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) till further order. He will have to file an affidavit in this regard. This was among other bail conditions including furnishing Rs 10,000 as bail bond.

In February, Dr Malhotra was arrested for allegedly demanding 10% commission to get CIMS Hospital’s bills of approximately Rs 1.5 crore passed by the civic body.

Earlier, the doctor was denied bail on the ground that investigation was pending, and the police were yet to file a charge sheet. However, after the charge sheet was filed, Dr Malhotra sought bail once again.