Hospital sealed after patient tied to bed over unpaid bills

A Madhya Pradesh-based hospital where an elderly patient was allegedly tied to a bed and not allowed to go home due to non-payment of bills has been sealed, officials said on Monday.
Police have also registered an FIR against the management of the City Hospital located in Shajapur district, they said.
After reports in a section of media claimed the hospital authorities tied the man to a bed as his family had not settled the bills, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday promised strict action against the “cruel” act.
In a tweet on Monday, Chouhan said, “Taking strict action in this incident, the CMHO and the administration have suspended the registration of the City Hospital and sealed it.
The police are investigating into this case by registering an FIR against the hospital directors.”
Shajapur Additional District Magistrate Manjusha Vikram Rai said the patient, Lakshminarayan (80), a resident of Ranayal village of Rajgarh district, was admitted to the City Hospital for his treatment.
After media reports claimed that the hospital administration tied the patient’s legs to the bed for not paying the final bill of Rs 14,000, an investigation team, headed by a sub-divisional magistrate, was constituted.
Following the investigation, the administration has sealed the hospital and further action will be taken as per rules, Rai said.
Earlier, City Hospital director Dr Varun Bajaj denied the allegations and said the man was allowed to go home on Friday without paying the due amount.
“The patient was having intestinal problems and in order to administer the medicine, his legs were tied to the bed while his hands were held by his family during the process,” Bajaj claimed.
He said police were informed after those attending the patient expressed inability to pay the bill and insisted on taking him home.
Senior Congress leader and former state chief minister Kamal Nath earlier termed the incident as “inhuman and barbaric”.