The undercover operation at Regional Mental Hospital (RMH), Thane, that uncovered the bribery racket for admission of sane people also revealed the intention of their relatives. In most cases, people who illegally locked up their relatives were embroiled in a property dispute, said sources. The facility also faces the issue of prolonged stay, with the asylum’s data showing 58 patients overstaying their admission for over 20 years.

The relatives then don’t visit their family member, who has to face torture under the garb of medical treatment,” said a source at the Regional Mental Hospital (RMH), Thane.

“The agency concerned must investigate if these people were dumped at the hospital through corrupt practices, and also why the hospital does not have the details of their relatives and why the family members are unresponsive. This matter is extremely serious in nature,” the source added.

Also Read: Mid-day Investigation: For Rs 8,000, you can lock up anyone as mad

Then there is the issue of people languishing at the facility for the obvious reason of being abandoned by their family, the sources said. The official data on prolonged stay is astonishing, more than 200.

Abandoned patients

A total of 58 patients have been locked up at the Thane RMH for over 20 years, according to the official records until March 2023, a copy of which is with mid-day. Besides, 43 patients have been at the facility for 10-20 years, 23 patients for 5-10 years, 44 for 2-5 years and 34 for the past 2 years.

One among them is a 60-year-old man from Mumbai, who was admitted to Thane RMH with bi-polar disorder 10 years ago. He recovered in the next six months, but he remains incarcerated at the facility, because the family refuses to take him home, said sources. His family tell the asylum that “bringing him back may wreak havoc for them”, the sources added.

The Banyan in Shahpur is currently giving shelter to eight recovered men aged 30-60 years and five women aged 30-50 years 

Even Thane RMH Superintendent Dr Netaji Mulik admitted that there are cases of prolonged stay. A patient has been staying at the facility for the past 40 years and he refuses to go, he told mid-day.

Dr Mulik said 135 patients were accommodated in beggars’ homes and old-age homes in December 2021. “However, there was much hue and cry, following which, these people were brought back to RMH. Later, they were shifted to rehab centres identified by the Social Justice Department of Maharashtra. On April 25, we sent 25 patients to rehab centres,” he added.

Moved to rehab

On Friday, a mid-day team visited one of the rehab centres, The Banyan in Shahpur, which currently has eight recovered men aged 30-60 years and five women aged 30-50 years.

Nilesh Mahale of The Banyan in Shahpur

“They have been brought here from RMH, Thane, under our Home Again project. We call them our ‘client’ and not a patient. These clients have either been abandoned by their relatives or their identity is yet to be established,” Programme associate Nilesh Mahale said.

A few of them desperately want to get back home, but “some are not even bothered to contact our clients”, he added.

“A few desperate clients ever tried to flee in hope to meet their relatives. A 60-year-old client escaped the centre in December 2021. However, we traced him pretty quickly as he walked very slowly,” he added.

“On April 28, a 36-year-old woman jumped out the window to see her four children. After walking for 300 metres, she took a lift from a motorcyclist and reached Atgaon railway station and boarded the train to Mahim where she used to beg. We searched for her and brought her back. One missing complaint was also filed at a nearby police station in Thane,” he said.

According to the official records, families of 93 patients have not been traced, while those of 67 others are not responding. These patients have recovered, but are still stuck at the RMH.

Thane Police Commissioner Jai Jeet Singh told mid-day, “We are examining the issue.”

Meanwhile, senior psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty said, “The Thane police need to conduct a detailed inquiry, including into admissions of at least a year, to get to the roots of the scandal. The mental health authority can assist in the process. Earlier, too, a similar allegation had come to light. In this case, an FIR needs to be filed immediately.”

The nurse who took bribe

A source claimed that Sunil Shinde, who demanded a bribe from mid-day’s undercover reporter to admit a mentally well person, “is the blue-eyed boy of Dr Mulik”. “The efforts are being made to hush up the issue,” the source said, when asked why the administration has not taken any action against him.  

93
No. of patients whose kin have not been traced

67
No. of patients whose kin are not responding

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