Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country, there are numerous reports of ambulance services over-charging patients to ferry them to hospitals. A similar incident came to the limelight when Delhi Police arrested an ambulance driver who charged Rs 9,000 to ferry a COVID-19 patient for a distance of around 7 kms.Delhi Police took note of the incident after the victim visited PS Govindpuri on Sunday (May 2, 2021) and alleged that an ambulance driver overcharged for shifting his elder brother suffering from fever from Transit camp in Govindpuri to Apollo Hospital. Accordingly, an FIR was registered and an investigation was taken up. A team was constituted to nab the culprit and a decoy client was installed who made a call to the accused for providing an ambulance from Majida Hospital to Apollo hospital. After reaching the Majida hospital, the decoy customer contacted the ambulance driver to shift his patient. The ambulance driver demanded Rs 9,000 to shift the patient within a range of 10 kms and Rs 5,000 extra for waiting in hospital parking. After bargaining, he agreed for Rs 8,500. Subsequently, a raid was conducted to nab the 40-year old following which he was apprehended.Several other incidents are also been reported in the national capital amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases that have also led to the shortage of oxygen supply in hospitals. People are also being arrested for selling oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators at exorbitant rates and in a black market.
