Corrupt Doctor

Shriram got down the car and asked other members to take his father to the hospital. He said that he will follow them after managing the economic side. Everyone was surprised. The car had yet passed the distance of two kilometres. But no one said anything as it was the matter of money. All knew that as the patient was serious, more money was needed. As he got down the car, it moved towards Pune.

Shriram was doctor by profession. He remembered how his father had supplied the money for his education. As he thought of his father, the tears rolled down the cheeks. He knew very well that his father will never speak to him. His father is dead. He got down the car not to manage the money but to start the preparation of his father’s funeral. He was on the way to home. His mobile started vibrating.

“Hello, we have reached the hospital.”

“Had the doctor checked the patient”?

“What did he said”?

“Doctor said that Baba needs to operate urgently as there is a blockage in his heart. You come fast, Dada. ”

“No, no. If the operation is needed urgently, don’t wait for me. Ask the doctor to take him to the theatre. I’m just living. Don’t worry for the money. ”

The doctor said the relatives to deposit One Lakh Rupees immediately within half an hour. He warned if the money is not deposited in time, he won’t take the patient for operation. After an hour, you will be too late. Then the close relative asked for the guarantee of the patient’s recovery.

“No, no. I mean no guarantee, but we shall try our level best. Other things depend on the wish of God. He is the supreme authority,” said the doctor.

The relatives became very sad. Yet one of them bringing courage in his eyes asked the doctor.

“Doctor Saheb, we are ready to pay the deposit right now. Please save my father.”

The son looked at his father. He was not conscious. Silently he prayed the God to save his father. He deposited the money to the counter and the doctor ordered the staff to take the patient to the theatre. All the relatives were sitted near the theatre waiting for the doctor to come out of the theatre to say the patient is out of danger.

It happened totally opposite to what had prayed for and expected to happen. After half an hour, the doctor came out.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t save him. May God give peace to his soul. You may take him to home. Just complete the formalities at the counter and go home.”

Shriram came to the spot hurriedly. Some of the relatives welcomed him with the tears saying that everything is lost. He was very silent. Ignoring all the crying relatives, he proceed further to the counter and asked about the amount to be paid.

“Three lakh fifty thousand, Sir.”

“Ok. No problem. I am ready to pay the amount. Only I need a letter for the post-mortem.”

“Post-mortem, what?------why?”

“I need the letter for post-mortem.”

“For what do you need post-mortem, Sir? We provide death certificate that is accepted everywhere.”

“I want to post-mortem the body.”

“Post-mortem is not needed for the old people.”

“No, no. I want to post-mortem the dead body.”

When she came to know that he won’t listen, she called the doctor. The anxiety was visible on her face. Till the doctor reaches the counter, she went forward to the doctor and muttered something in his ear. The doctor came forward.

“Who is the relstive”?

“I….. I am Dr. Shriram.”

“Okay. I don’t think it’s good to post-mortem the old man.”

“I want it for the medical and legal reasons.”

“No, no. No legal problem is there. Our certificate is accepted everywhere.”

“But I want to post-mortem the body.”

“Why do you want to trouble the old man”?

“It’s a dead body, Sir”?

“The question is of emotions as well. You loved your father throughout his life. And now you want cut his body after his death.”

“Not emotions, the reality. I must know the reason and time of his death.”

The expressions on the face of the doctor changed. The fear came to his face. “Time? It’s quite 5 to 10 minutes before. Say 11.40 a.m. and it’s a natural death. After all the age matters. Just pay Rs. Two lakhs and take him home.” The streams of sweat were flowing the cheeks, his clothes wetting and his gaze lowered. He asked Shriram to come to his cabin. He again tried to convince Shriram to avoid his dishonour in the city, but in vain. Shriram was firm on the post-mortem. At last the doctor said:

“Please, forgive me. I have committed a mistake. Your father died before he was brought to my hospital. But the desire to earn more and more, I have done a wrongthing. Please, forgive me. I am the most sinful man. I have operated the dead body. Why? You know, for the money. Now what I can do is to request you to please forgive me and take your father home. I don’t need a single penny.”

“You operated my dead father. But you don’t want me to post-mortem his body. I had loved my father the most. I wanted him to live for some more days. So we were very fast from our home towards Pune. But as the car left the village, my father coughed a little and then he was no more. I found his heartbeat was stopped. I could easily know that he was no more, as I was the doctor”, Shriam said.

“Why did you bring him here, then”?

“I had seen my other relatives who were eager to reach Pune to treat him better. I had thought to take him back home. But I wish the other doctor to confirm his death. If I had taken the car back, my relatives might have said that even he didn’t take to the hospital. I mean better like yours. So I got down the car to prepare for the funeral of my dead father. But I received a call from my brother about the urgency of operation. I could not stop him, neither could I say anything about your greediness. I committed the mistake and you took the advantage. You operated my dead father. You could never imagine a dead body is sent to you. You saw only the people who were looking at you as the God on earth. And you became the devil. Now there is no excuse. You will be punished. You are the blot to the doctors’ community.”

The doctor was now crying. He got up from his char, bowed down and caught the feet of Shriram. He requested him top excuse him, but Shriram was not ready. At last, the doctor said; “Look, I have a wife and children as well. If I go to jail, they will be punished without having their fault. Please save me. Just your word outside the cabin can ruin my life. Please save me.”

Finally, the doctor gave Two Lakh Rupees to Shriram. The doctor also gave him a receipt of Two Lakh Rupees to show the relatives. The case was resolved and the ambulance was called for.

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About the Author: Dr. Satish Govind Saykar is working as an Associate Professor of of English, Radhabai Kale Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Ahmednagar. He completed his Ph.D. from Shivaji University, Kolhapur. He wrote a book entitled Locked Country, Loaded Silence: A War Against Corona. His email id is satishgsaykar@gmail.com.