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Shravan Kumar’s family at their home. Eight years after he started losing hair, he had gone in for the transplant. (Express photo by Amit Chakraborty)

ALMOST TWO weeks after an expert committee of J J Group of Hospitals alleged in its report that medical negligence during a hair transplantation procedure had led to the death of a Chandivali businessman last March, the Saki Naka police on Tuesday booked the treating dermatologist, Dr Vikas Halwai.

The case has been registered under Section 304 A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC. Police said after it received the J J hospital report, officers visited their legal advisor several times to ensure that Halwai was booked under appropriate IPC sections.

“Our officer also visited the dean of J J hospital to understand the report precisely,” senior Inspector Kishor Sawant of Saki Naka police station said.

On March 7, last year, Shravan Kumar Chaudhary had started a hair transplantation procedure at Derma Dent Aesthetic Clinic in Chinchpokli under Halwai. The process began around 2.30 pm. By 2 am on March 8, the procedure was complete. But Chaudhary soon started feeling uneasy and suffered pain in his neck.

Halwai administered painkillers, but when the pain did not subside, Chaudhary was rushed to Global hospital but was not admitted there. From there, he was taken to Dalvi Nursing home. He was discharged after being given painkillers. On March 8 evening, his family rushed him to Hiranandani hospital with his head and shoulder swollen to double their normal size. He passed away the next day.

According to the report, there was a delay in referring Chaudhary to a “higher centre”. Chaudhary, managing director of SM Express Logistics, suffered an anaphylactic reaction, an allergic reaction that causes swelling and uneasiness. The committee opined that Halwai did not conduct standard tests, including skin tests, before initiating the procedure. Chaudhary had started a keto-diet 15 days before the procedure, and suffered reaction due to heavy dosages of anaesthesia and subsequent painkillers, the report added.

Chaudhary’s brother Shiv Kumar said: “The report pointed out 13 instances where the dermatologist was found negligent. Proper procedure was not followed.”