Cops arrest tout selling blood to patients at exorbitant rates

Police have arrested one tout from the SSKM Hospital who used sell blood to the patients at a high price.

Officers of the city police posed as patients to catch the accused who has been operating at the hospital for quite sometimes.

The tout was arrested from the Cardio-thoracic ward of the hospital on Sunday afternoon when he was trying to sell a pouch of blood to a patient in a much higher price.

Police came to know that the accused Md Nazim has been taking money from various patients requiring blood for which he used to charge exorbitantly from the patients.

Having found no options, the patients sought blood from the accused.

A patient from Ballygunge was undergoing treatment at the cardio-thoracic ward. On Saturday, the accused presented a package of Rs 70,000 for a surgery.

Police had prior information that the accused would turn up when the patient’s relatives would be 

requiring blood for the surgery.

On Sunday noon when Nazim demanded money from the relatives, the policemen in plain clothes arrested the accused.

Police came to know in the interrogation that the accused used to sell a pouch at Rs 1,000-12,000.

After interrogating the accused, the police were trying to know if there are any touts involved in the incident.

It may be mentioned that the police have intensified the vigil after the Chief Minister gave a clear instruction to stop tout raj in the hospital. 

The Chief Minister during her visit to the SSKM Hospital few months ago expressed her annoyance 

in this regard and asked the police officers present there to take stern action against those who take money from the patients when patients are supposed to get health services at free of cost from the hospital. 

Following Chief Minister’s instruction police had arrested some touts for their involvement in the incident. 

A detailed probe has been initiated.