Indraprastha Apollo Hospital: A Daughter’s 15-Year-Long Fight

Indraprastha Apollo Hospital: 15-Year Medical Negligence Fight, Says Daughter

For 15 years, Meenakshi Jain has waged an unrelenting battle against Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi, seeking justice for what she claims was the medical negligence that led to her father's death in 2009. A lawyer by profession, Jain has taken her fight to consumer forums, courts, and medical council, yet she says justice remains out of reach. "Even as a lawyer representing my own case, I find myself up against a hospital so powerful and influential that the system seems unwilling to hold it accountable," she asserts.

Jain’s ordeal began on March 6, 2009, when her 71-year-old father, Pawan Kumar Jain, was admitted to Indraprastha Apollo Hospital after being diagnosed with a perianal abscess. A perianal abscess is a painful, swollen, pus-filled lump that appears near the anus. It's usually caused by an infection of the anal gland. 

"My father was both a diabetic and a cardiac patient. The doctors initially called for emergency surgery, yet they delayed the procedure for 20 hours," she recalls. According to Jain, when she questioned the hospital about the delay, she was told that the surgery could not proceed until a hospital room was booked, as billing procedures had to be completed first. "By the time they finally performed the surgery, his infection had already worsened due to the delay," she alleges.

Jain further claims that after the surgery, her father’s cardiac medications—prescribed for years—were inexplicably discontinued. "A cardiac patient who underwent a non-cardiac surgery was left without his essential heart medications for three weeks. His condition was not monitored, and not even his cardiologist intervened. On March 27, he suffered a heart attack," she says. According to Jain, only after this first heart attack did doctors reinstate his cardiac medicines.

However, her father’s suffering did not end there. "On March 30, 2009, he suffered a second heart attack. It was only then that they conducted tests and decided to perform an angiography—despite his critically low hemoglobin levels," she states. Jain alleges that doctors failed to check his hemoglobin before proceeding with the procedure, and a blood transfusion was only administered afterward. "But by then, it was too little, too late. My father suffered a third and final cardiac arrest on the morning of March 31, 2009, and passed away at 10:30 AM," she says.

Following her father’s death, Meenakshi Jain made a resolute decision—to take on Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in a legal battle over alleged medical negligence. “I decided to dedicate my entire life to holding the hospital accountable and seeking justice for my father," she says. For Jain, this fight is not just about legal proceedings; it is about honouring the memory of a man who, she recalls, was more than just a father to her. 

"Pawan Kumar Jain was a deeply compassionate human being who always helped others. He was a lawyer himself, but he often fought cases for free—even for the medical community, he took on pro bono cases," she reminisces. Fifteen years have passed since his tragic death, yet the family says their grief remains unresolved. "We haven't even had the chance to mourn properly," Jain says, "because all these years have been spent running from pillar to post in the pursuit of justice."

“A Delay of 20 Hours That Cost His Life”

In an interview with The Probe, Meenakshi Jain asserted that the 20-hour delay in performing her father’s surgery was a critical factor leading to his death. "That delay, combined with the discontinuation of his essential cardiac medications, only worsened his condition and it cost him his life," she said.

A year after her father’s passing, in 2010, the Dean of Maulana Azad Medical College constituted a Medical Board to investigate the case. The Probe has accessed the Board’s report, which found multiple lapses in the treatment provided by Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. The report states, “However, for reasons not specified in the case sheet, the patient was operated on the morning of 07/03/2009 at 9 A.M.—a delay of 20 hours from the time of admission… In our opinion, the surgery should have been done at the earliest.”

The report further highlights the failure to reinstate critical cardiac medications post-surgery, stating, “It (cardiac medicine) has not been restarted after the surgery, and this could have jeopardised his coronary status.” Additionally, the findings point to severe lapses in managing the patient’s overall condition: “Anemia was not corrected on time, and it could have had potentially hazardous consequences in coronary artery disease. Hyponatremia (serum sodium) was not managed at all. Blood gases were also managed improperly.”

Despite the scathing observations made by the Medical Board, Jain says authorities failed to act. "One would assume that such an inquiry report, which directly questioned the treatment given to my father, would have been enough to hold the hospital accountable. But sadly, that has not been the case," she laments. "The Delhi Medical Council and the Delhi government’s Department of Health and Family Welfare gave the doctors a clean chit."

Conflicting Reports and Allegations of Bias

In its report dated July 18, 2012, the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) concluded that no medical negligence could be attributed to the doctors of Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in the treatment of Pawan Kumar Jain. However, a closer look at the DMC's findings raises serious concerns. The report states that the patient suffered from “severe sepsis leading to septic shock and Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) despite treatment. The chances of survival in such patients are known to be extremely low…”

Yet, when The Probe examined the hospital’s Death Summary report, neither sepsis nor Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) were mentioned. Jain argues that this discrepancy exposes an attempt to shield the doctors and the hospital from accountability.

“The Delhi Medical Council only tried to protect these doctors and the hospital. This is a travesty of justice,” she says.

Jain further alleges a serious conflict of interest in the inquiry process. “The same cardiologist who was sitting on the DMC panel as an expert was also a part of the next board, which was formed by the police through the Delhi government. How can one doctor be in two boards ruling on the same case? His presence in both casts a long shadow over their decision. This is a stark example of what happens when an ordinary citizen is pitted against a powerful corporate institution. When the other side has deep pockets and connections, victims are left to suffer for justice. Even though I am a lawyer myself, I have been fighting this battle for 15 years with no end in sight,” she rues.

Speaking to The Probe, Pushpa Jain, the wife of late Pawan Kumar Jain, recounted the harrowing final days of her husband’s life. “He was there all alone, crying for help. He kept calling out ‘Meenu… Meenu,’ calling for our daughter, but nobody came. The doctors and nurses never checked on him when he was in pain,” she alleges.

Speaking to The Probe, Archana Jha, daughter of late Pawan Kumar Jain, recalled the ordeal her father went through at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. “Initially, they said he would be discharged in just two days. But they kept extending his stay. He was in so much pain the whole time—crying, suffering—and the doctors did nothing about it,” she alleged.

Jha further recounted the hospital’s unwillingness to engage with her family when they sought clarification on her father’s treatment. “I have cousins who are doctors, and they wanted to speak to the doctors at Apollo. But when we approached them, they refused to talk to us. They told us not to ‘teach them what to do,’” she stated.

Despite years of struggle, justice remains elusive for Meenakshi Jain and her family. An FIR was filed in the case following directions from the Saket District Court. However, the police investigation ultimately found no negligence on the part of the hospital or its doctors.

In a significant development in 2024, the Saket Court took a critical stance on the police probe, accusing investigators of relying too heavily on reports from the Delhi Medical Council and the Department of Health and Family Welfare. The court pointed out glaring inconsistencies in these reports and also issued summons to the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and 6 other persons including the doctors involved. The accused were summoned to appear before the court on September 17, 2024. On the scheduled date, they complied with the summons, applied for bail, and were granted it. Subsequently, they have challenged the Saket Court's order before both the Delhi High Court. The case is currently pending before the Saket Court and the Delhi High Court.

A Family’s Unending Grief and a Daughter’s Relentless Fight

Fifteen years after her husband's passing, Pawan Kumar Jain’s wife still struggles to come to terms with the loss. “It has been 15 years, and even today, it feels like I am lifeless,” she says, her voice heavy with grief. Every time she opens the door, she expects to see her husband sitting in his usual spot. “Not finding him there makes me relive his tragic passing every single day,” she shares. The ailing widow, burdened by years of legal battles, makes a desperate plea for justice. “My daughters and I would be able to move forward in life only if we get justice,” she says.

Despite the setbacks, Meenakshi Jain remains undeterred in her legal battle against one of the country’s most powerful hospital chains. “I am not fighting just for myself. I am fighting for other victims who do not have the resources to come to court every day. They can’t go from district courts to high courts and then to the Supreme Court. Being a lawyer, I have that resource. I want this medical profession to be accountable,” she asserts. 

The Probe has made repeated attempts to contact Indraprastha Apollo Hospital for their response to these allegations, including an email sent to the hospital representative. As of publication, no official response has been received from an authorised hospital representative. This story will be updated as soon as the hospital provides its comments.