Four middlemen arrested from SCB Medical for diverting patients to private hospitals in Cuttack

In a major crackdown on the illegal middleman network operating within government hospitals, the Cuttack police arrested four touts (agents) from the premises of SCB Medical College and Hospital. The arrests were made by the Manglabag Police Station following a tip-off regarding unethical practices involving patient redirection.

According to official sources, the incident took place on Friday evening when several touts were spotted near the non-trauma casualty department of SCB Medical. These individuals were allegedly attempting to convince incoming patients and their attendants to shift to private hospitals in the city, promising faster treatment and better facilities in exchange for commissions.

Acting on this information, a special team from Manglabag Police conducted a surprise raid near the casualty area. During the operation, three touts were caught red-handed while they were actively trying to persuade patients. The very next morning, on Saturday, another middleman was apprehended from the hospital premises, taking the total number of arrests to four.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Debasish Mohanty, Krishna Bahadur, Sushant Barik, and Ram Nayak. Police believe that these men were part of an organised group operating within the hospital campus, targeting vulnerable patients and diverting them for personal or third-party gain.

"Such practices not only exploit the suffering of patients but also tarnish the reputation of public healthcare institutions," said a senior police officer from Manglabag PS.

"The patients who are coming to SCB, these middlemen are diverting them to private hospitals on the pretext of providing better treatment facilities.     We are taking this matter very seriously and a detailed investigation is currently underway to determine the extent of the network and whether more individuals, including insiders, are involved,” said ACP Girija Shankar Chakraborty.

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. There have been previous reports of similar activities at government hospitals, but this recent crackdown has once again brought the issue into sharp focus.

Police have assured that strict legal action will be taken against the accused under relevant sections, and arrests may follow as the investigation progresses.

This incident has triggered outrage among citizens and health rights activists, who have long demanded stricter regulations and enhanced monitoring to prevent the exploitation of patients in public hospitals.