The Gujarat High Court has dismissed the bail request of Dr. Prashant Vazirani, a cardiologist accused of carrying out unnecessary angioplasties on healthy individuals to wrongfully claim funds under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY). The court found enough initial evidence suggesting this was not just medical negligence but a deliberate misuse of a government welfare scheme for personal profit.
Dr. Vazirani allegedly performed angioplasties on seven patients without proper medical justification, and in some cases, without patient consent. Tragically, two of these patients died after the procedures. The matter came to light following a medical camp at Borisana village, where 89 people were screened. Nineteen were referred to Khyati Hospital, and seven underwent angioplasty. Following these incidents, an FIR was filed by the Civil Surgeon of Civil Hospital, Sola, Ahmedabad.
“This is a classic example of abusing a government scheme meant for public welfare,” the court remarked. “The expenses under PMJAY are reimbursed by the government, and the accused misused this benefit to fulfill materialistic ambitions.”
Dr. Vazirani faces charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, forgery, cheating, and criminal conspiracy. The expert panel from U.N. Mehta Institute found serious discrepancies in the medical reports submitted to justify the procedures. In several cases, angioplasties were performed where only one stent was necessary or no intervention was required at all.
Read Also:- Gujarat High Court Upholds Acquittal of Husband in 1995 Wife Burning Case, Rejects Dying Declaration
“The material shows a strong prima facie case,” said the court, “and the applicant's role cannot be ruled out. In some instances, patients were pressured to undergo the procedure with threats regarding their life.”
Patient testimonies added to the evidence. One patient said he was told he had severe artery blockage and was pressured to accept surgery despite declining it. Another revealed he had only constipation but was diagnosed with serious heart issues to justify angioplasty.
“These actions reflect more than negligence. There is a systematic attempt to make money under the PMJAY scheme,” the judge stated.
Investigations revealed altered patient history forms and manipulated angiography reports. Some forms were changed after the inquiry process began. Experts from U.N. Mehta Institute confirmed that reports were handwritten by Dr. Vazirani and later edited to support false claims.
Read Also:- Gujarat High Court: 2002 Godhra Train Tragedy Could Have Been Averted by Railway Police Personnel
One particularly alarming case involved a deceased patient where the angiography video and written report did not match, and critical post-surgery documents were missing.
“If expert authorities approved these procedures despite such discrepancies, their role also needs examination,” the court added.
Considering the evidence, the Gujarat High Court ruled that the charges under Section 105 of the BNS (culpable homicide) could not be dismissed at this stage. It found the offense too serious for bail and concluded that the accused played a central role in manipulating records and pushing unnecessary medical procedures on unsuspecting patients.
Case Title: Prashant S/o Prakash Harishchandra Vazirani vs. State of Gujarat
