Pune: Villoo Poonawalla Hospital COO Booked For Allegedly Threatening Social Worker With Pistol During Bill Discount Dispute
Pune: Villoo Poonawalla Hospital COO Booked For Allegedly Threatening Social Worker With Pistol During Bill Discount Dispute
Pune, July 17, 2026: A senior official of Villoo Poonawalla Hospital in Hadapsar has been booked after allegedly threatening a social worker with a pistol during a dispute over securing a concession on the medical bill of a deceased patient.
The accused has been identified as Dr. Arya Lajpatrai (58), Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Villoo Poonawalla Hospital. The incident allegedly took place on July 16, 2026, at around 7:30 pm inside the COO’s first-floor office cabin at the hospital.
According to the Hadapsar Police, the complainant, Pratik Uttam Kamble (33), a social worker from Jan Mohammed Street in Pune Camp, had visited the hospital along with his cousin, Rushikesh Shallendira Kamble, to request a concession on the treatment expenses of Sushila Khude (60), who had recently passed away. Khude was the mother of Kamble’s friend, Raju Khude. The outstanding hospital bill was approximately ₹4.5 lakh.
Police said that during the discussion, Dr. Lajpatrai allegedly refused to grant any discount and became aggressive. According to the FIR, he allegedly told the complainant, “I will not reduce your bill by even a single rupee. Get out of here right now, or I will shoot you.”
The complainant further alleged that the hospital official then took out a pistol, pressed it against his chest, and threatened him.
Following the incident, Kamble approached the Hadapsar Police, who registered an FIR on July 17, 2026, under Crime Register No. 466/2026.
Dr. Lajpatrai has been booked under Section 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (criminal intimidation by threatening death or grievous hurt), Section 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace), and Section 30 of the Arms Act.
Police have seized a pistol in connection with the case. Further investigation is being carried out by Police Sub-Inspector Ratnadeep Birajdar of Hadapsar Police Station.
