Even as Hepatitis B continues to terrorise people of Modasa, an FIR was registered against an allopathic doctor and his son on charges of culpable homicide on Saturday. The duo has been identified as Dr Govind Patel and his son, Chintan Patel.

Ironically, Dr Patel had been operating from his clinic opposite the Public Health Centre in Modasa. The officials were aware of his unfair practices, said a health department official.

Even though the doctor’s name had come up during preliminary investigation, it took some time to nail him down due to lack of sufficient evidence. However, no arrests have been made so far as the duo is absconding.

Last week, eight doctors were booked under the Medical Practitioners’ Act.

The outbreak of the disease has so far claimed 38 lives. Nearly 125 patients are undergoing treatment in different hospitals across Modasa, Ahmedabad, Vatrak and Himmatnagar.

An investigating team headed by Modasa Circle Health Officer Arjunsinh Bhati found that biomedical waste was not being disposed of properly at Dr Patel’s clinic. They also found that the injections were being reused by the father-son duo.

“While our officials found evidence against the duo, an FIR was registered late on Saturday,” said H S Patel, Chief District Health Officer of Sabarkantha, on Sunday.

Inspector R M Bhadoriya of Modasa police said, “The offence has been registered under Sections 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 278 (Making atmosphere noxious to health),304 and 114 of the Indian Penal Code.”

He said the surveillance team from the district health department found enough evidence during their investigations to come to the conclusion that the doctor had been reusing infected syringes causing the spread of the virus.