MUMBAI, December 12: In a shocking case, the president of A ward medical association was forced to resign following allegations that he had openly demanded a bribe from a fellow doctor.

Though the official reason for his resignation has been given as "a busy schedule which does not give him enough time to carry out the duties of a president," a letter signed by 41 doctors of the association demanding his resignation is in possession of Express Newsline.

One of the 41 signatories to the letter explained, "The president had referred one of his patients to a radiologist for an ultra-sonography. The radiologist's report had a typing error: `No gall bladder stones' read as `gall bladder stones.' This error was detected by the association's president, and the patient was not harmed in any way."

But the matter did not end there. The president asked the radiologist for Rs 20,000, so that he would ensure that the patient would not move the consumer court.

"When the radiologist refused to pay up, he brought the `price' down to Rs 5000 and ultimately to Rs 500!" one of the association's members revealed.

When contacted, the `A ward' medical association secretary Dr Sudha Sheth maintained that the association's president had resigned because he could not devote enough time to his presidential duties. His resignation has been accepted by the association.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.