
Punjab: Muktsar hospital, doctor, insurer to pay student ₹22 lakh over medical negligence
According to commission president Rakesh Kumar Singla and member Param Pal Kaur's July 23 verdict, Dr Sandeep Singh Sandhu, Sandhu Hospital and Oriental Insurance Company Limited have to comply within 45 days of receipt of a copy of the order. As per rules, the accused can challenge the ruling before the state panel.
Gurpreet Singh of Shaheed Balwinder Singh Nagar in Faridkot town had filed a complaint on February 10, 2021, against the three, seeking a compensation of ₹40 lakh. He stated that he was studying in New Zealand to pursue a diploma in 'Business Level 5' after paying a fee of NZ$16,100 for one year starting November 26, 2018.
His petition stated that he flew to India on January 1, 2019, to meet his parents when he complained of abdominal pain and was taken to Dr Sandeep, who advised an ultrasound test that reportedly showed a suspicion calculus measuring 5-6 mm in his gallbladder's fundus. He was suggested for laser surgery. After another ultrasound test, the doctor allegedly recommended cholecystectomy, surgical intervention to remove the gallbladder.
In their replies before the commission, the doctor and the hospital stated that during an intraoperative procedure, a rare complication was identified and another surgery was done following which Gurpreet complained of swelling in the abdomen and he was taken to a private hospital in Ludhiana.
They also rubbished the allegations levelled by the complainant, terming his plea an ulterior motive to extract money from them.
After hearing both parties, the commission found the charges of medical negligence true. The order stated that 'no discharge summary has been brought on record by the treating doctor to verify the fact that what procedure was adopted by the doctor and the hospital in treating the patient. There is nothing on record what kind of advice or instructions were given to the complainant regarding his medication and for follow-up. They have not placed on record a consent form showing the signatures of the complainant or his parents, which was mandatory before doing any surgery.'
The order also mentioned that there is no record of the review ultrasound that confirms the diagnosis of gallstones and the surgery for suspicious gallstones is not justified. When Gurpreet was referred to a medical institute, no record of medical care or any relevant investigations conducted on him on that day was provided.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
2 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Leaders hail work of visionary scientist M.S. Swaminathan
The immunisation programme led by the country's first Health Minister, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, and the Green Revolution initiated by M.S. Swaminathan were the reasons for the decrease in the death rate in India, former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi said in New Delhi on Wednesday (August 6, 2025). Speaking at the launch of The Man Who Fed India, a biography of Dr. Swaminathan by the Singapore-based author Priyambada Jayakumar, Mr. Gandhi said three English words known by all farmers in the country was 'Swaminathan Farmer Commission'. Mr. Gandhi said Dr. Swaminathan had been part of the group of scientists around the world who stood for humanity and nuclear disarmament. 'Swaminathan's works for agriculture has given India's farmers a life,' Mr. Gandhi said. In a panel discussion that followed the book release, Shashi Tharoor, MP, said Dr. Swaminathan worked at a time when the memories of Bengal famine were haunting the country. 'International contacts' Former Planning Board Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said Dr. Swaminathan revolutionised the country's agriculture through his international contacts. DMK leader Kanimozhi said Dr. Swaminathan's works for empowering women and ensuring ecologically friendly agriculture practices were not discussed the way it deserved.


Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
Over Rs 1cr compensation for triple rider who suffered 100% disability in accident
Panchkula: In a landmark ruling, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in Panchkula has awarded a compensation of ₹1.17 crore to a 36-year-old man who suffered 100% disability after a horrific road accident while triple riding on a two-wheeler. The tribunal, presided over by District and Sessions Judge Ved Parkash Sirohi, held the car's driver, owner, and insurer jointly liable for the payout. The victim is also entitled to 6% annual interest on the compensation amount from the date of filing the claim until its realization. The accident occurred in the early hours of April 28, 2024, when Arun Madan was riding an Activa with Veer and Sitaram as pillion passengers. As they approached the Kalka-Shimla highway, a car driven recklessly by Amrinder Singh Dhiman of Sangrur allegedly came from the wrong side and rammed into the scooter. All three riders were injured, and the vehicle was badly damaged. Amrinder transported the injured to Civil Hospital, Sector 6, Panchkula. While Veer and Sitaram were discharged after first aid, Arun was referred to GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh, but was instead taken to Alchemist Hospital, Sector 21, Panchkula. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Woman sells ring given by ex, then jeweler tells her 'This can't be true' Daily Sport X Undo The police registered a case against the car driver under relevant IPC sections at Pinjore police station. Arun, who was employed as an assistant manager in a Baddi-based firm earning ₹78,739 per month, suffered severe head injuries and is now bedridden. His medical expenses alone amounted to ₹12 lakh. Arun filed a claim of ₹2 crore, citing permanent disability and loss of livelihood. The car's driver and owner denied the accident, alleging collusion with police. The insurer, New India Assurance Co. Ltd., argued that the accident was caused by the negligence of the Activa rider, who was triple riding without a valid license. However, the tribunal found Veer—a key eyewitness and FIR author—credible. Supporting documents, including medical records and mechanical reports, further strengthened Arun's case.


Indian Express
32 minutes ago
- Indian Express
25 CCTV cameras, patrolling men with walkie-talkies to evade arrest: Luck runs out for Surat ‘drug lord'
As many as 25 CCTV cameras in a 500-meter radius, three patrolling men with walkie-talkies on the narrow roads leading to his house and a special room on the ground floor of his three-storey house to see the CCTV feeds. These, according to police, were the measures taken by a Surat-based drug lord to evade police arrest. Shiva alias Shivraj Zala (28) has given police a slip whenever his house was raided by police. His luck, however, ran out on Tuesday night when police arrested Zala from his house, the only tall property surrounded by single-floor pucca houses in the Bhatena area of Surat city. Police also seized Rs 16 lakh, 120 grams of mephedrone (a synthetic drug) and two pistols from his house. After several failed attempts to arrest Zala, police sources said they devised a different strategy to arrest him. First, cops talked to local youths of the Bhatena area and learnt about the security cover placed by Zala. The police team did a recce of the area and found the CCTV cameras in 25 locations. On Tuesday, the Surat Special Operation Group (SOG) got information that Zala was present in his house. Acting on a plan, 25 policemen in plain clothes travelled on 15 bikes to the narrow roads near his house close to the overbridge built on Koili Creek. All six routes leading to Zala's house were screened by police. SOG police inspector A P Chaudhary said, 'We have earlier identified the escape routes of Zala and a group of police personnel were deployed on all six escape routes, including the way to Koli Creek and its bridge so that he could not give us a slip this time.' 'We parked our bikes at different locations around a 100-metre radius of his house. A group of policemen, led by me, reached the narrow lane leading to his house. The main door of his house was open and a police team barged in and overpowered Zala,' Chaudhary said, adding that he was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and the Arms Act. According to police, Zala was involved in various crimes including murder, attempt-to-murder, robbery and drugs trade. A total of 16 cases had been registered against him. 'Shiva had been known as a messiah in the Bhatena area, where low-income group families reside. He used to help the residents financially for marriage, medical treatment and other needs. The Bhatena area is dominated by people from the minority community. He has good clout among the locals and nobody dared to raise their voice against him,' Chaudhary said. Police sources said that Zala is the youngest son of a tempo driver, Bhupendrasinh Zala, hailing from Dhandhuka taluka in Ahmedabad district. Police said that long ago, his father migrated from Dhandhuka to Surat and settled in the Bhatena area. He has three other sons. Chaudhary added, 'Zala used to buy drugs from a person in Mumbai. Drug peddlers used to come to his place and buy drugs directly. He was selling drugs only to known peddlers and also kept watch of their movements. We are trying to dig out more information from him and identify the peddlers involved with him.'