Pune: Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital Fined Rs 10 Lakh for Denying Care to Pregnant Woman
Erandwane, 22nd April 2025: Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune has been slapped with a ₹10 lakh penalty by a government-appointed committee following the death of a pregnant woman who was allegedly denied emergency treatment. The inquiry committee, led by Joint Charity Commissioner Rajni Kshirsagar, concluded that the hospital violated multiple clauses under the Maharashtra State Public Charitable Trust norms.
The deceased, Tanisha Bhise, was in her third trimester when she sought urgent medical help. Her family alleged that the hospital refused admission, citing a demand for an advance payment of ₹10 lakh—a condition that delayed critical care and ultimately cost Bhise her life.
A government resolution dated April 4 states that Bhise passed away during childbirth after being denied emergency services, in violation of Clause III of the guidelines for charitable hospitals. These rules explicitly prohibit hospitals from refusing urgent care based on a patient’s financial limitations and mandate stabilisation of patients before referring them elsewhere.
“Every charitable hospital is bound to admit emergency cases without insisting on advance fees. If unable to provide full care, they must stabilise the patient and arrange transfer to a government facility,” the GR emphasized.
According to the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950, and the Bombay High Court’s 2006 ruling, charitable institutions with an annual expenditure above ₹5 lakh must set aside 2% of their total billing for indigent patient care under the Indigent Patients’ Fund (IPF). The committee noted that Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital failed to uphold this mandate, breaching both financial and ethical responsibilities.
“The incident has exposed a grave lapse in the enforcement of charity norms meant to safeguard economically weaker patients,” the committee observed. The report also underlined that the hospital did not maintain adequate reserves in its IPF account or provide evidence of compliance with patient welfare requirements.
Despite a First Information Report (FIR) being filed against Dr. Sushrut Ghaisas under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which include charges akin to negligence and culpable homicide, no arrest has been made so far.
A senior police official explained, “Under the new legal framework, offences with a maximum punishment of up to seven years are bailable. As a result, immediate arrest is not permitted in such cases.”
