NEW DELHI: The Delhi police are trying to create an impression among the general public that doctors and the management at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals here were engaged in a "cover-up" in the Rahul Mahajan case, senior counsel for the hospital Lalit Bhasin said on Thursday. Police interrogation of the staff "has moved away from finding the truth to a mere process of harassment," he charged.

In a statement, Mr. Bhasin said: "this harassment must end. Otherwise, it will create a fear psychosis in the medical fraternity as a whole."

This is the text of the statement:

"The unending process of interrogation has moved away from finding the truth to a mere process of harassment involving the management of Apollo Hospitals, the doctors, the staff nurses, technicians, ward boys, dieticians, etc. Nearly 30 witnesses have already been interrogated and some have even been re-interrogated. A list of 20 ladies has been given, who are to be interrogated in the hospital. This includes lady doctors, staff nurses and lab technicians. A further list has been given on Thursday for more witnesses to be examined.

"The police are trying to create an impression among the general public that the doctors and management of Apollo are engaged in a cover-up operation through inspired leaks to the media, making wild allegations which are neither supported by any documentary proof, nor by the interrogation carried out so far. The media on its part has already declared its judgement, without giving fair hearing. The attempts are to sully the name of an institution and individuals who are known for saving lives and giving the best medical care across the world. Somehow, an attempt is also being made to rope in the top functionaries of the Apollo group.

"It is in this scheme of things that allegations are being made about the role of Ms. Raji Chandru. The police have indicated to the media that Ms. Chandru is an aide of the Chairman of the Apollo group, Dr. Prathap C. Reddy. In fact, Ms. Chandru is the Deputy General Manager of Patient Services of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. It is her prime function and duty to ensure efficient and effective treatment of patients. In the present case, she had no other role to perform, except to ensure that Mr. Rahul Mahajan received the best possible treatment so that his life could be saved. It should be also noted that the bills for the treatment were paid for by the family of Mr. Rahul Mahajan and there are sufficient documents to prove the same. Mr. Rahul Mahajan was brought in a critical condition and was gasping for breath. At that point of time, the team of doctors led by Dr. Prasad Rao took urgent and emergent steps to stabilise him, including putting him on the ventilator.

"The doctors and staff who have been interrogated have rejected the suggestions of the police authorities that:

1). There was any fudging of the records of the admission of Mr. Rahul Mahajan; 2). There was any tampering with the lab reports; 3). Ventilation was not necessary and; 4). Stay in the ICU was extended, even though Mr. Rahul Mahajan was fit to be moved out of the ICU.

"The hospital had no motive of reason to do anything of the aforesaid things and the record of the hospital bears testimony to this. Even without summons being received, the hospital furnished all the records to the authorities and has been producing all persons named by the police for interrogation.

"This harassment must end. Otherwise, it will create a fear psychosis in the medical fraternity as a whole. The police do not seem to be sensitive to the fact that Apollo Hospitals is one of the most reputed healthcare institution in this part of the world and its reputation would suffer irreparably as a result of unwarranted and un-sustained acts on the part of the police."

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