Supreme Court Refuses To Cancel Bail Of Cardiologist Accused Of Performing Forced Angioplasties To Claim Govt Funds

The Supreme Court today refused to cancel the bail granted to a cardiologist accused of performing angioplasty upon healthy persons in a bid to get funds from the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) scheme for a private hospital.A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Atul S Chandurkar declined the Gujarat government's plea to cancel the bail of Prashant Prakash Vazirani, noting that he had already undergone pre-trial detention of 1 year.Standing Counsel Swati Ghildiyal, for Gujarat, drew the Court's attention to the severity of the allegations, highlighting that 2 persons had died and the respondent was the main accused. "Now we will let him go...he is a doctor, a cardiologist, let them serve...you can keep a watch. If he's doing something, you can take recourse", responded Justice Maheshwari.Senior Advocate Ranjith Kumar appeared for the respondent. Justice Maheshwari also posed to him, "why are you doing all this? You're a cardiologist".Disposing of the case, the bench added in its order that the respondent shall cooperate with the trial and gave liberty to the State to take recourse for cancellation of bail, if he is found to indulge in any other criminal case of similar nature or otherwise. The case arose after a medical camp was organized at Borisana village on 10.11.2024 by Khyati Hospital, where 89 people underwent checkups. Out of these, 19 patients were referred to Khyati Hospital for further examination. From these, seven were advised to undergo angioplasty, and two of them later died. The FIR was lodged by In-charge CDMO cum Civil Surgeon, Civil Hospital, Sola, at Ahmedabad. It was alleged that the respondent had conducted angioplasty on seven patients some of them without medical necessity or consent, and two of them died as a result of complications following the procedures, in order to exploit the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) scheme for financial gain. He was booked in an FIR registered under BNS Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 336(2) (forgery), 340(2) (Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine), 318 (cheating) and 61(criminal conspiracy).In May, 2025, a Single Bench of the Gujarat High Court declined the respondent bail, observing that the material on record indicated a "strong prima facie" case against the respondent. It also agreed with the prosecution's contention that it was not a case of mere medical negligence but a systematic attempt to "mint more money" under the PMJAY scheme from the Government.Thereafter, he approached the Supreme Court, but that petition was later withdrawn with liberty to approach the High Court again. The respondent subsequently filed a successive bail application before the High Court, which was allowed vide the impugned order in December.Case Title: STATE OF GUJARAT Versus PRASHANT PRAKASH VAZIRANI, SLP(Crl) No. 2133/2026

Supreme Court Refuses To Cancel Bail Of Cardiologist Accused Of Performing Forced Angioplasties To Claim Govt Funds

Debby Jain

"He's a cardiologist, let him serve," said Justice JK Maheshwari.

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