Inquiry finds patients with normal hearts underwent cardiac surgery; doctor under lens
SRINAGAR, June 20 (PTI): Nearly 50 per cent of evaluated patients who underwent advanced cardiac surgical procedures did not even require them, a departmental inquiry into alleged large-scale procedural irregularities at the Anantnag Government Medical College has revealed.
The Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Department further revealed fraudulent insurance claims, patient exploitation and unnecessary procedures on healthy patients, naming Dr Syed Maqbool, a Cardiologist at GMC Anantnag, for alleged large-scale procedural irregularities and manipulation of official medical records.
The incident revolves around an alleged pacemaker implantation scam involving 103 cardiac patients, with experts finding out that 27 out of 55 patients who underwent the procedure had normal heart function and “there was absolutely no medical reason to perform such procedures”.
The charges against the doctor include falsification of records, system-wide fraud, exploiting patients, and colluding with private vendors, unauthorised medical interventions and conduct highly unbecoming of a public servant.
“You booked and claimed 103 cases on the Transaction Management System (TMS) under the ‘Dual Chamber Pacemaker Implantation’ package (Code: MC016A). However, physical records prove you have actually performed Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing (LBBAP). This intentional misrepresentation was designed to siphon public welfare funds from the PMJAY/SEHAT scheme under a false clinical pretext,” the charges levelled by the department said.
The inquiry revealed that the doctor performed highly advanced and invasive LBBAP procedures on patients without any clinical justification.
An independent expert evaluation showed that, of 55 suspected LBBAP cases, 27 patients (49 per cent) had completely normal left ventricular function and a wide QRS morphology. Performing patients shows a complete disregard for patient safety and professional ethics for personal motives, the HME memorandum issued to the cardiologist alleged.
The findings emerged during an expert audit conducted after the State Health Agency noticed an unusual spike in LBBAP-related claims from the institution in December 2025.
Maqbool has been directed to submit his written defence within a week, failing which disciplinary proceedings against him shall be held ex parte.
The inquiry has uncovered allegations of direct financial exploitation of PMJAY-SEHAT beneficiaries.
“That you directly violated the absolute ‘cashless and free’ mandate of the PMJAY/SEHAT scheme and forced vulnerable patients to pay out-of-pocket expenses for procedures done within a government facility,” the department accused the doctor.
Citing a case, it said, the patient was coerced into paying Rs 70,000 to a private company.
