The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne, a specialist neurosurgeon at Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital, who was arrested and remanded over medical equipment fraud. 

The court today ordered the release of Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne on strict bail conditions. 

The specialist neurosurgeon was previously arrested and remanded on charges of selling equipment valued at Rs. 50,000 to patients for Rs. 175,000 through a private company she is affiliated with. 

Following her arrest, the Bribery Commission revealed that the items were sold to approximately 300 patients through her private company, and this resulted in over Rs. 300 million in losses for patients.

Investigations conducted by the Bribery Commission had also found that Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne had conducted surgeries on patients who had been declared brain-dead for several days. 

It was also found that the accused doctor had performed unnecessary surgery on patients who could have been treated with drugs alone. (Newswire)

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The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court has further remanded until 15 July, Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne, a specialist neurosurgeon at Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital, who was arrested and remanded over medical equipment fraud. 

Rejecting the neurosurgeon’s bail application, the court further remanded her, while it granted bail to the other two suspects implicated in the case.

Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne’s daughter, who was arrested by the Bribery Commission for having allegedly threatened commission officials, was yesterday remanded until 09 July. 

The specialist neurosurgeon is accused of selling equipment valued at Rs. 50,000 to patients for Rs. 175,000 through a private company she is affiliated with. 

Alleging this resulted in over Rs. 300 million in losses for patients, the Bribery Commission said the doctor violated public service procurement rules by not purchasing surgical items through official hospital procedures. 

The Bribery Commission further revealed that the items were instead sold to approximately 300 patients through her private company. 

Investigations conducted by the Bribery Commission had also found that Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne had conducted surgeries on patients who had been declared brain-dead for several days. 

The Bribery Commission had informed the court, during a previous session, that one such surgery took place five days after a patient was declared brain-dead, with the heart kept functioning artificially.

The court was further informed that the accused doctor had also performed unnecessary surgery on patients who could have been treated with drugs alone. (Newswire)

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The daughter of remanded specialist neurosurgeon Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne has been arrested for allegedly threatening officials at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). 

Reports emerged last week of the 21-year-old daughter of the specialist neurosurgeon having allegedly issued death threats to officials of the Bribery Commission.

As such, Bribery Commission officials arrested the daughter of the specialist neurosurgeon today. 

Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne is currently in remand custody after being arrested over allegations of selling medical equipment valued at Rs. 50,000 to patients for Rs. 175,000 through a private company she is affiliated with. 

Alleging this resulted in over Rs. 300 million in losses for patients, the Bribery Commission said the doctor violated public service procurement rules by not purchasing surgical items through official hospital procedures. 

The items were instead sold to approximately 300 patients through her private company. 

It was also recently revealed that Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne had conducted surgeries on patients who had been declared brain-dead for several days. 

She, along with two of her associates who had assisted her with the medical fraud, currently remain in remand custody. (Newswire)

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The Bribery Commission had begun investigations in 2023 into the specialist doctor at the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital, Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne, who was arrested and remanded in connection with selling medical equipment at higher prices through a third party, it was reported.

According to Ada Derana, more details have been revealed of the fraud committed by the three suspects, including Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne, who is a neurosurgeon at the hospital.

Per the facts that have since been uncovered by the Bribery Commission, the doctor in question has been selling External Ventricular Drain (EVD) and ventriculoperitoneal (VP) Shunt devices, which are required for neurosurgery, through third parties at a value higher than the market price.

Although the market value of the equipment is between Rs. 30,000 and 60,000, it is reported that she sold them for between Rs. 120,000 and 250,000.

It has been found that this racket was initially carried out through a company founded by the doctor’s husband, and that after his death, the relevant transactions were carried out under her name.

It is stated that these surgical instruments were sold at an inflated price with the assistance of the two people currently in remand custody with her.

Even though the Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital can obtain this equipment through annual estimates, the doctor in question had carried out this racket without going through that procedure.

It is said that this doctor had provided the telephone number of one of the two suspects currently in remand custody to the patients’ family members and had sold these devices through him.

Investigations by the Bribery Commission have revealed that the money received from the sale was credited to the accounts of the doctor and the relevant person.

The probe has found that this racket has been carried out by not providing patients with the relevant prescription in order to prevent them from purchasing these devices from other institutions.

The Bribery Commission has already recorded the statements of 75 patients who underwent surgery under her, and they are scheduled to obtain the statements of a total of about 300 patients.

Based on the information revealed by the 75 patients whose statements have been recorded by the Bribery Commission, the three, including the doctor, have earned approximately Rs. 30 million. (Newswire)

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