Times of India
23 April 2010
Pune, India

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated probe into allegations of overcharging a patient who had undergone heart surgery at the Ruby Hall Clinic in 2008. The CBI officials collected complaint papers from the charity commissioner and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Pune division on Wednesday.

“The charges are of inflated medical bills given to Punebased Dattatray Zende by the Ruby Hall Clinic in November 2008. So far, we have collected complaint papers furnished with the offices of charity commissioner and the FDA,” said a CBI officer.

Confirming the CBI action, D L Kurkute, additional assistant commissioner, FDA, said, “The CBI officials sought papers of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on maximum retail price (MRP) of select medicines and surgicals as charged to distributors, retailers and customers.” Office superintendent of Charity Commissioner C A Patil said, “The CBI team sought complaint papers furnished with us by Zende on Wednesday.”

The FDA, Pune division, had sought clarification from the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on MRP. The FDA’s demand for clarification had come in the wake of an inquiry ordered by the department against the Ruby Hall Clinic to probe allegations of overcharging Dattatray Zende. Meanwhile, Zende said, “I was given inflated medical bills by the Ruby Hall Clinic. The NPPA has issued clear instructions to all pharmaceutical companies to display prices of their surgical products and medicines on their websites, but this is not being done.” Sujata Malik, medical superintendent of Ruby Hall Clinic, said, “We have not been informed about any investigation by the CBI. However, the hospital will cooperate with the department in any investigation.”