The Charity Commissioner’s Office in Pune on Friday filed a case against the trustees of the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Research Centre (run by Lata Mangeshkar Medical Foundation) before a court, for alleged lapses in providing treatment to seven months’ pregnant Tanisha Bhise, who died on March 31, 2025.
Last April, major protests were held against the Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital and its doctors, following the death of Bhise, who was allegedly refused admission by the hospital, over a demand of advance payment of Rs 10 lakhs.
The Charity Commissioner’s office has initiated a suo motu inquiry into the incident. When contacted, joint charity commissioner Rajani Kshirsagar confirmed that a case was filed against the trustees of the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Research Centre, before a magistrate court in Pune on Friday, for alleged lapses in providing treatment to Tanisha Bhise.
Kshirsagar said the case will be heard before a judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) court in Pune.
It is learnt that the inquiry in this matter was conducted by a special committee headed by Deputy Charity Commissioner Dr Rajesh Pardeshi.
On April 19 last year, the Pune city police lodged an offence of negligence against Dr Sushrut Ghaisas in the case under Section 106 (1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Tanisha’s sister-in-law Priyanka Pate (46) lodged an FIR in the case at the Alankar police station. The FIR was lodged after receiving an inquiry report from the Sassoon hospital, which revealed negligence on the part of Dr Ghaisas.
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According to police, Tanisha had consulted Dr Ghaisas, a gynaecologist at the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital. As stated in the FIR, on March 21, 2025, Tanisha was seven months pregnant and admitted to the Indira hospital in Viman Nagar as she had high blood pressure (BP) and stomach pain.
On March 28, due to severe stomach pain, the doctors at the Indira hospital advised that she would have premature delivery and she be shifted to Motherhood Hospital in Kharadi on emergency basis, as the new born babies would require NICU facility.
However, the family took her to Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, where Tanisha had consulted Dr Ghaisas previously. After checking Tanisha, Dr Ghaisas advised an immediate pre-term delivery, following which the twins would have to be kept at NICU.
According to the FIR, Dr Ghaisas allegedly said expenses per child at the NICU facility would be Rs 10 lakh. Accordingly, the family would have to deposit an advance of Rs 20 lakhs at the hospital. Dr Ghaisas then gave in writing on the hospital’s letterhead, with his signature, to deposit Rs 10 lakhs for NICU.
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Tanisha’s family told Dr Ghaisas to start the treatment, saying they would make the payment later. But Dr Ghaisas allegedly replied that if they cannot pay, they should take treatment at Sassoon hospital and left the spot, said the FIR.
The family had told the billing department of the hospital they can pay Rs 3 lakhs now and made a request to start the treatment. However, the hospital allegedly refused to admit her till the advance of Rs 10 lakh was deposited.
As five hours had passed and no treatment was provided, the family decided to shift Tanisha to Sassoon Hospital, where they did not even get a wheelchair for Tanisha. Later, they took her to Surya hospital in Wakad, said the FIR.
The FIR further mentions that doctors at the Surya hospital started the treatment and on March 29, she gave birth to twin girls but her health deteriorated. Tanisha was shifted to Manipal hospital in Baner, where she died while undergoing treatment, on March 31.
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The FIR alleged that Dr Ghaisas was aware that Tanisha was critical, but still kept her waiting for five hours and 30 minutes, without providing the “Golden hour treatment”, which caused complications and she died because of the delay in treatment.