A woman in Pune has registered a complaint at Wanavdi police station against a doctor who has duped her for Rs.1.47 crore on the pretext of treatment for ‘non-existing cancer’ in her liver. The woman identified as Sushma Jadhav works as an author at the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Officers). In her complaint, she said that a doctor allegedly took Rs. 1.47 crore from her saying that she had cancer and needs treatment or else she will die.
A doctor allegedly cheated a 58-year-old woman of Rs. 1.47 crore in #Pune as he lied to her and told her that she was suffering from a liver ailment, and then cancer, and taking the money for her “treatment” 💊 over the last few months.https://t.co/O0n3Wa9BVU
— Express PUNE (@ExpressPune) December 20, 2020
No tests, no scans, just medicines without names
Reports say that 58-year-old Jadhav came in contact with the doctor identified as Vidya Dhananjay Gondras, who lives in Wanavdi, in 2017. She went to Gondras for treatment of knee pain at her Kondhwa Budruk based naturopathy clinic. In June 2020, she approached Gondras again for a medical problem. Gondras allegedly claimed that she has closed her naturopathy clinic and now has a franchise of a Canada-based Ayurvedic organization. She also claimed that she had treated several patients in Pune.
Without carrying out any medical tests, Gondras allegedly told Jadhav that she has live ascites and urged her to start treatment immediately or she will die. Jadhav believed her and started paying her for the treatment. In return, Gondras gave her pills in red, black, green and white plastic bags. When Jadhav tried to inquire about the medicines she is taking, Gondras showed her photographs of liver damage on her cell phone and told her that she would die if she stops the treatment, but didn’t give any detail of the medicines.
Later in September, Gondras told Jadhav that she had developed cancerous tumours on her liver’s upper portion. She told Jadhav that these tumours could be treated with Ayurvedic medicines. Jhadav kept on paying Gondras, believing she is treating her. When she started to fall short of money, she asked her husband to arrange Rs.7 lakh.
Husband’s suspicion exposed fraud
Her lawyer husband was suspicious and asked Jadhav to show medical reports and treatment papers. Jadhav contacted Gondras for the documents which she could not provide. Then Jadhav took her husband and a lawyer friend to meet Gondras on December 3. Gondras allegedly said that she wouldn’t be able to provide any medical documents before completing the treatment. This was the tipping point where Jadhav decided to file a complaint against her.
FIR registered against Gondras
Police have registered an FIR against Gondras under appropriate Sessions, including 420 of the Indian Penal Code. Sub-Inspector Bholenath Ahiwale said, “The complainant has paid nearly Rs 1.45 crore to the accused via cheques and Rs 1.75 lakh in cash… The accused has not been arrested yet, but her bank accounts have been sealed. Further investigation is on.”