Maharashtra: Family fights for justice after son’s death at Vasai hospital; demands cancellation of hospital registration

VASAI: The Gupta family from Vasai has been relentlessly pursuing justice following the death of their 27-year-old son, Rupesh Gupta, who died on March 18, 2024, after being admitted to Breath Care Hospital with severe coughing.

The family alleges medical negligence and is seeking the cancellation of the hospital’s registration. An FIR was registered in January 2025 at the Manikpur Police Station (Vasai West) against Dr Dharmendra Dubey of the Breath Care hospital under sections of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, following a report by the Palghar District Surgeon. The report confirmed lapses in medical care during Rupesh’s treatment.

According to the Guptas, Rupesh was not treated by qualified specialists but by individuals with BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) backgrounds.

The family claimed that Rupesh was not even given oxygen, and despite Dr Dubey never visiting the ICU, his consultation fee was charged.Rupesh’s father, Lalman Gupta, stated that this is not the first time Dr Dubey has faced legal action. "There is already another FIR against him from a few years ago.

With two serious cases on record, how is he still allowed to practice?" he questioned. Adding to the family's frustration is the lack of clarity over who is responsible for acting against the hospital. While Dr Bhakti Chaudhary, Medical Health Officer (MHO, VVCMC) claims that only the District Surgeon of Palghar can initiate cancellation proceedings, the District Health Officer’s letter dated July 5, 2024, puts all responsibilities on the VVCMC, as its their jurisdiction.

Moreover, the Gupta's have claimed that Dr Chaudhary herself is a charge-sheeted witness in a 2022 case (FIR: 0152/2022) involving the same hospital and Dr Dubey, raising questions about her impartiality and inaction.DrChaudhary stated that the hospital registration cannot be canceled until the ongoing court case is concluded. "The FIR has been registered based on the civil surgeon's report. Action such as closure or deregistration will be taken only after the court verdict or a directive from the civil surgeon, as per the Bombay Nursing Homes Registration Act," she said. As the case continues to drag on in court, the Gupta family remains determined to seek justice and ensure that no other family suffers a similar fate due to alleged medical negligence and administrative apathy.Dr Dharmendra Dubey politely denied speaking on this issue.