Police Complaints Authority for probe against Inspector, ex-SI in ‘botched’ dental tourism case
The Police Complaints Authority (PCA), Chandigarh, has recommended a departmental inquiry against Inspector Ashwani Attri and retired Sub-Inspector Balwinder Singh for a “deliberately flawed investigation” into a dental tourism fraud case. The PCA, chaired by Justice (retd) Kuldip Singh and member Amarjot Singh Gill, IPS (retd), found the probe biased, unprofessional, and in violation of the Supreme Court guidelines.
The authority concluded that the FIR against Dr Mohit Dhawan of Avance Dental Care was based on unverified complaints and suppressed material facts. Additionally, the PCA flagged procedural lapses, including the failure to provide Dr Dhawan with copies of complaints, ignoring crucial evidence like courier receipts and tracking details, and acting on what appeared to be fabricated documents. It also questioned why Dr Dhawan was summoned without any registered complaint and recommended an inquiry into the roles of DSP Satish Kumar and ASI Gurvinder Singh.
The controversy began in August 2017, when Gertrude D’Souza, a US national, travelled to Chandigarh after purchasing a dental tourism package from Dr Dhawan’s clinic. The package, priced at $10,500, included full dental implants, luxury hotel stays, airfare and sightseeing.
D’Souza later filed a complaint on January 29, 2018, alleging that the services were substandard and that she faced medical complications upon her return to the US. She also claimed that Dr Dhawan had promised a refund, which never came, and alleged that a courier supposedly containing dentures was never delivered, with the airway bill later confirmed to be forged.
Based on her complaint, an FIR was registered under Sections 420, 467, 468, and 471 of the IPC on March 19, 2018. The case was investigated by Attri and Balwinder.
In response, Dr. Dhawan approached the PCA, alleging that the investigation was biased and that the officers colluded with D’Souza to extort money. He asserted that his treatment had been professionally sound and that the FIR was part of a malicious campaign to tarnish his reputation.
While the police officers maintained that the case was one of cheating and forgery — not medical negligence — and that legal opinion had been obtained, the PCA disagreed. It found that D’Souza’s complaint was rooted in dissatisfaction over services, better suited for a civil suit or compensation from consumer commission for alleged deficiency in services rather than a criminal case.
Calling the FIR “motivated and without basis,” the PCA concluded that the investigation caused unjust mental and reputational harm to Dr. Dhawan and urged corrective legal and departmental action.
Chandigarh