Bengaluru: In a peculiar case where two wound certificates were issued by two hospitals regarding a single incident, the high court has directed initiation of a departmental inquiry against Dr Praveen Kumar and Dr Sumithra of the district hospital in Chigateri, Davanagere. This is in relation to the second wound certificate issued to Manjunath, a resident of Bhadravathi, Shivamogga.
Manjunath claimed that on April 13, 2023, he was assaulted by six advocates, some of whom represented his wife. He first got himself examined at Bhadravathi. Not satisfied with the report given by the doctor, he travelled to Davanagere and got another report from the doctors at Chigateri hospital.
Meanwhile, the advocates representing Manjunath’s wife approached the high court, challenging the assault case registered against them. The court stayed the proceedings in Nov 2024. As there is a divergence in the two wound certificates issued in favour of Manjunath, the court directed the doctors concerned to submit affidavits.
In his order, Justice M Nagaprasanna pointed out that Dr Sumithra, the radiologist, had tampered with the medico-legal case X-ray report, and Dr Praveen Kumar had issued a false wound certificate and filed an affidavit before the high court, which on the face of it is contrary to the records. Hence, they can’t be let off the hook, as the same can undermine the credibility of the healthcare system and embolden unscrupulous elements if not checked, he observed.
“The X-ray report, on the face of it, is a fabricated, forged, and tampered document. The X-ray initially conducted is struck off, and an X-ray of the nasal bone is indicated,” the judge further noted. The earlier wound certificate was issued by Dr JM Preethi, a specialist working in Bhadravathi taluk hospital, who examined Manjunath about 12-14 hours earlier, stating that his injuries were simple in nature, the judge further pointed out in his order.
The next hearing on the petition is on March 28.