A case of alleged criminal negligence has been registered against Dr. Sushrut Ghaisas, a consulting gynecologist formerly associated with Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, following the death of a pregnant woman who was reportedly denied timely admission due to non-payment of a large deposit. The incident has triggered widespread outrage and raised serious questions about hospital admission policies and patient care in critical situations.
According to police reports, the woman, identified as Tanisha Bhise (also known as Monali or Ishwari Bhise), was seven months pregnant and experiencing severe abdominal pain. She was initially advised by doctors at Indira IVF Hospital to seek premature delivery at a facility equipped with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Bhise was taken to Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital on March 28, but her family alleges she was asked to deposit ₹10 lakh per child (total ₹20 lakh) before being admitted. Despite appeals from the family and intervention attempts by the Chief Minister’s office, the hospital refused admission until the deposit was paid.
The family claims Dr. Ghaisas was informed of the patient’s critical condition but did not initiate treatment, instead insisting on the deposit. The FIR states that Bhise was left waiting for over five hours without receiving the necessary emergency care, which ultimately led to complications and her death two days later after delivering twins at another hospital.
A committee of doctors from Sassoon General Hospital conducted an inquiry and concluded that there was insensitivity and negligence on the part of Dr. Ghaisas, directly contributing to Bhise’s death. Following the committee’s revised report, Pune police registered an FIR against Dr. Ghaisas at Alankar Police Station under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to causing death by negligence not amounting to culpable homicide.
Dr. Ghaisas has since resigned from his position at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital. As of now, no arrest has been made, and the investigation is ongoing. The case has sparked a broader debate about the ethics of advance payment demands in emergency medical care and the responsibilities of healthcare professionals in life-threatening situations.
