LNJP doctor pays man to do his job at hospital; impersonator arrested even as doctor is absconding

In a curious state of state of affairs at Lok Nayak Hospital, Delhi’s first COVID-19 designated facility, the police have arrested a man who impersonated a doctor working at the hospital after being asked to do so by the doctor himself.

Rashid Khan was paid by Dr Vishwajeet, a resident doctor at LNH, to impersonate him in the casualty section. He impersonated the doctor for more than a month and wore a mask to hide his identity while at work. He was arrested last week.

Dr Vishwajeet had been working at Lok Nayak Hospital for more than a year. In September, he had called in sick after he allegedly tested positive for COVID-19. “We don’t know where he got tested, but he called in sick. Even after 15 days, he did not come. He informed us that he contracted the virus again. He kept extending his leave, but he never came to our hospital to get treated. Our hospital has a special ward for employees and most of us who contracted SARSCoV2 were treated here,” said Dr Suresh Kumar, Medical Superintendent of LNH. Dr Vishwajeet refused to get treated at the hospital.

After the hospital refused any more extension of leave, Khan logged in as Dr Vishwajeet instead. “Khan has a B.Sc Nursing degree and so he knew the basics of the treatment procedure. We don’t know where he was working before coming to this hospital. After a while, those working in the casualty section sensed something was wrong. They insisted on checking his identification card last week. It was then that the matter was revealed,” said Kumar. The matter was immediately reported to the police and the impersonator was arrested.

According to the police stationed at Lok Nayak Hospital, Khan has been sent to Tihar Jail, but they have not been able to arrest Dr Vishwajeet as he is absconding. Dr Vishwajeet had furnished three addresses in the hospital records – one at south Delhi’s Yousuf Sarai, second at East Delhi’s Mayur Vihar and third was an address in Uttar Pradesh. He has not been found at any of these addresses.

Since Lok Nayak Hospital was converted into a COVID-19 facility, it was relatively easier for a person to impersonate a doctor, said another health care worker at the hospital. The person did not want to be identified.

The hospital authorities are still waiting for the doctor to be caught to ascertain several details of the case. “It has been a week, but the police said he is absconding. While he was here, Dr Vishwajeet said his father was a police officer. We don’t know if it is true or not, especially because all the addresses he had given were also false,” added Kumar.