Cuttack: Police claimed to have busted an illegal network of middlemen operating in government hospitals in Odisha with the arrest of four agents from SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.Acting on a tip-off, a team from Manglabag Police Station launched an operation and apprehended the four accused persons, who were allegedly trying to divert patients to private hospitals in the city for treatment.Sources said the raid was conducted on Friday evening when some agents were allegedly attempting to influence patients and their attendants to move to private hospitals, promising better medical treatment and facilities in exchange for commissions.During the raid carried out team near the casualty department of the hospital, three agents were caught red-handed while they were trying to persuade patients. Another agent was nabbed from the hospital premises on Saturday morning, taking the total number of arrests to four.The four have been identified as Debasish Mohanty, Krishna Bahadur, Sushant Barik, and Ram Nayak. The accused are suspected to be part of an organised group targeting vulnerable patients and diverting them to private hospitals for personal gain.The middlemen were trying to divert patients to private hospitals on the pretext of providing better treatment facilities. Further investigation is currently underway to ascertain the nature of the network and possible involvement of others, a senior police official said.Hospital authorities have also been informed, and steps are likely to be taken to increase surveillance within the SCB Medical campus to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. Similar activities of agents were reported at government hospitals in the past also.
