Two Delhi doctors sentenced for negligence

New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) A city court Monday awarded two years' jail to an anaesthetist and a surgeon of a private hospital in Greater Kailash for a boy's death during an operation.

In a rare verdict, Metropolitan Magistrate J.P. Nahar held surgeon Omkar M. Parmar, 68, and anaesthetist N. Dutta, 73, guilty of the death of 13-year-old Gaurav Batra at Sukhda Hospital of Greater Kailash in 1995.

They were sentenced under section 304 A (causing death by rash and negligent act) of the Indian Penal Code.

Rejecting the doctors' plea for leniency, the court said the complainant parents had lost their only child due to their negligent acts. The court also fined the two doctors Rs.10,000 each.

However, the court later granted them bail on a surety bond of Rs.15,000 each.

"Bail bonds are furnished and are accepted till Dec 29 and both the convicts will have to surrender by 10 a.m. on the same day if they fail to obtain bail from the appellate court," the court said.

Victim Gaurav, who was advised surgery for tonsillitis, was operated upon for his ailment after being admitted in the hospital on June 13, 1995, the prosecution said.

However, his parents panicked when he did not gain consciousness even after being under observation for hours in the hospital.

They made several phone calls to doctors Parmar and Dutta to come and attend to their son but they failed to do so and the boy died, the prosecution alleged.