Court orders investigation against accused’s treating doctor

Surat: A private doctor has come under fire from the district and sessions court which ordered the city crime branch to launch an inquiry against him for giving contradictory statements regarding treatment of Dinesh Vekariya, one of the accused in 2019 Takshashila Arcade fire and trying to protect him.
As many as 22 young lives were snuffed out in the fire.
The court ordered the assistant commissioner of police, Detection of Crime Branch (DCB), to conduct an investigation against Dr MS Kathrotiya and also find out if he had helped other accused in the past to get temporary bail by issuing medical certificates.
Court also ordered the police to produce accused Vekariya to be taken to the New Civil Hospital or SMIMER Hospital for Covid-19 test.
Vekariya (56) was enlarged on temporary bail on December 5, 2020 for 21 days on the ground of his mother’s demise. He had to surrender on December 26. However, he had informed the court through his advocate that he had fallen sick and tested positive for Covid-19 on December 21. His advocate told the court that Vekariya was isolated at home for treatment as per doctor’s advise and he will not be able to surrender on December 26. On December 23, the court extended his interim bail till January 11 and allowed Vekariya to produce the Covid-19 report from NCH or SMIMER by 5:30pm Tuesday.
However, his advocate prayed for bail extension till January 25 claiming that Vekariya was unable to take Covid-19 test due to poor health. He produced Dr S Katharotiya’s certificate which mentioned that Vekariya needed 15 days' quarantine.
Special public prosecutor PN Parmar argued that Dr M S Katharoitya had told the Surat crime branch that SMC was not informed about Vekariya’s Covid status because he did not have severe symptoms. “This shows that the accused does not have a serious illness and it’s doubtful whether he was actually infected with Covid-19,” argued Parmar.
The court also found contradictions in the statements given by Dr Katharotiya regarding the treatment.
The contradictions
Dr. Kathrotiya had told the crime branch said Vekariya had come to him with a laboratory report on January 5 which showed he had Covid-19 symptoms and dengue fever. He gave him treatment till January 9 and discharged him, advising 10 days home quarantine. The doctor told the court that Vekariya had gone toVishruti Laboratory for a blood test directly with his reference and that he had neither taken his blood samples nor sent them to the laboratory. However, on January 11, Vekariya’s advocate produced Dr Kathrotiya’s certificate in which he had mentioned that Vekariya’s blood sample was taken at his hospital on January 5 and sent to the same laboratory.
“As per the certificate, the doctor said that it was a Sunday on January 5 but actually it was Tuesday on January 5. This shows that the doctor is protecting the accused by giving false information,” the court observed.