FIR against Delhi Hospital for Handing over Dead Body of COVID-19 Patient to Family in Violation of Protocol

New Delhi: After eight COVID-19 positive cases emerged from Maharaja Agrasen Hospital in a week, the Delhi Police have registered an FIR against the hospital's senior administration management.

An order was issued on April 7 by Dharmendra Kumar, ADM West, asking those who visited the hospital between March 13 and April 7 to be home-quarantined for the next 15 days.

The police said they received the complaint from Sub-Division Magistrate, Punjabi Bagh, and it mentioned a case dated March 10.

“A 72-year-old female patient, who was a resident of Rohtak, was admitted at Maharaja Agrasen Hospital on March 10 and later referred to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital where she was found COVID-19 positive,” said the complaint.

After instructions from Chief District Medical Officer West, the hospital authorities carried out COVID-19 test on patients coming within a five-metre periphery of the female patient and 82 other employees who came in contact with her.

“It was found that six employees of the hospital were found to be COVID-19 positive,” said the police.

Another patient from Sonepat was also admitted to the same ward and was tested corona-positive. That patient died in the hospital on April 4.

“The hospital authorities handed over the body to the deceased person’s relatives without informing local authorities,” said police.

According to the police, the hospital violated the guidelines regarding the dead body management for COVID-19 patients issued by the central government.

A detailed inquiry was conducted by the District Magistrate of West District, Delhi. The family members of the deceased also did not informed anyone regarding the coronavirus-positive status of the deceased; as a result, several people attended the cremation.

The deceased person’s son has also been found COVID-19 positive.

The police have registered an FIR under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Epidemic Act, and the Disaster Management Act against senior administration management of the hospital for negligence in informing local authorities and handing over the dead body of a coronavirus victim in violation of government guidelines.