Hyderabad, July 12: If Telugu film Tagore showed that doctors in a corporate hospital can `treat’ a dead man to fleece a few lakhs of rupees from his people, a few concerned citizens here proved that doctors, in fact, can go a step ahead and declare a dead man medically fit for a paltry Rs 200!
PS Padma Rao, a former assistant civil surgeon in King Koti hospital, had officially certified V Nageshwar Rao of Padma Rao Nagar, who died on August 26, 2009 as medically fit on June 7, 2010. (Expresso has access to Negeshwar Rao’s death certificate issued by the GHMC and the medical certificate issued by Padma Rao).
The doctor has been on the panel of doctors hired by the transport department to certify the health condition of driving license seekers.
The concerned citizens, who have been observing the illegal activities of several doctors on the transport department panel, approached Padma Rao, who operates in RTA Trimulgherry, for a medical certificate as per the Motor Vehicle Act on June 7, 2010 by affixing the photograph of Nageshwar Rao on the prescribed Form-1A.
Without bothering to know or ask for the details of the applicant, Dr Padma Rao, in his own handwriting, filled up the form declaring that the applicant has a mole on his right hand.
“I certify that I have personally examined the applicant.
The special test of distant vision and hearing ability, the condition of arms, legs, hands and joints of extremities of the candidate and to the best of my judgment he is medically fit to hold the driving licence,” Dr Padma Rao declared in the form and attested it. The doctor’s `services’ were in exchange of Rs 200 against the statutory fee of Rs 15.
Thanks to Padma Rao, the late Nageshwar Rao became eligible for a driving licence again. The licence that Nageshwar Rao took when he was alive was valid till March 12, 2012.
Appointment of professional doctors at all RTA centres was introduced by the transport department following the busting of a racket by the Task Force police in 2006. The officials exposed that several agents had been producing fake doctor certificates by using self-made letter heads and rubber stamps.
As a reform, the RTA officials appointed retired government doctors to certify the applicants.
But it has been found that some of these professional doctors have also been issuing false certificates by taking money. It is learnt that there are many more Padma Raos operating in the state, especially in the RTA centres in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.
–Agencies–