House of Cards: A Novel Read online

  Sanjay was overcome with emotion. He thought, ‘Mridula’s from a better family than mine. She’s good-looking and could have married anybody. By marrying me, she knew that she would lead a middle-class life, but she was still happy. Her cousin Sarla is financially much better off than us. But money has never been important to Mridula. If it was, then she wouldn’t have married me.’

  Yet, Sanjay was hesitant to start his own practice. He told Mridula, ‘Give me some time to decide.’

  15

  Disillusionment

  There were numerous changes in the hospital. Dr Saroja had become the new head of the department. She gave a speech when she came on board, in which she said, ‘I need to improve my department. This department should be vibrant with enthusiasm. Energetic and dynamic people will get priority.’ Sanjay was known to be loyal to Dr Kamala and Dr Saroja did not like her. Moreover, Dr Saroja thought that Sanjay was not dynamic. So he was sidelined at work.

  During Dr Kamala’s tenure, there had been a set of strict rules to be followed. Every assistant doctor had to take a night shift and no doctor would get the night shift more than once a week; everybody had at least one Sunday off every month; and nobody could take their consultation fees from the donation money reserved for the poor—that money was used only for procuring blood for the poor.

  During Dr Saroja’s tenure, things started changing. Sanjay got two night shifts per week and he was the only one on duty every Sunday. When he asked Dr Saroja about this, she smiled and said sweetly, ‘Oh Sanjay, you’re honest. I have great respect for you. If I give Sunday shifts to someone else, they may make money under the table since there’s no one to monitor them that day.’

  Sanjay knew that this was just an excuse but did not know how to respond or argue with her; he continued to perform his duties sincerely.

  One day, after his night shift, Sanjay was about to go home. Dr Saroja was on her rounds. She was talking to her assistant loudly about her connections. As soon as she saw Sanjay from a distance, she signalled him to come and talk to her. She said, ‘Two patients are in the labour rooms. They’re related to some VIPs and are important. They may have delivered by now. The junior doctors are attending to them. There’s no problem but I want you to check in on both of them. Let me know if you think there’s going to be an issue. You can go home later.’

  Dr Saroja knew that Sanjay was a sincere doctor and that she could depend on him. When Sanjay went to see the patients, he found that both of them had delivered. There were two junior doctors sitting there—a young boy and a young girl. They were sitting with their heads close together and talking softly. It was obvious that they were in a romantic relationship. As soon as they saw Sanjay, they leapt apart. Sanjay examined both the patients. They had both had normal deliveries with no complications. There was nothing to worry about.

  One patient’s name was Nanjamma and her husband was a gardener in a minister’s home. The other patient was called Kempunanjamma and her husband was a cook in another minister’s home. So they were both VIP-recommended. Kempunanjamma’s husband, the cook, arrogantly told Sanjay, ‘Please look after my wife well. Otherwise, I’ll complain to the minister. Then he himself will come and give you a piece of his mind.’

  Sanjay got upset. After all, he was a well-qualified and experienced doctor. He replied, ‘What do you mean? We look after all our patients here. Your wife has had a normal delivery and there’s no need for any medicine to be given to her. You can call anyone else in the hospital. The treatment will be the same.’

  The cook was offended. Sanjay ignored him and reported back to Dr Saroja. He told her that everything was fine. Then he left the hospital.

  After three days, Dr Saroja saw Sanjay passing in front of her room. She yelled, ‘Sanjay, come here. I thought that you were a responsible doctor. I’m terribly disappointed in you. You’ve spoilt a VIP case.’

  Sanjay did not understand. The hospital got VIP cases every day. ‘Which case are you referring to, madam?’ he asked politely.

  ‘Kempunanjamma’s case.’

  Sanjay thought, ‘That’s not my case. That’s her case.’ He said to Dr Saroja, ‘But both the patients were fine.’

  ‘They may be fine, but I’m unwell because of them.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘Didn’t you read today’s newspaper? Kempunanjamma’s husband told the media that their child got switched at birth. Even the Health minister phoned me.’

  Dr Saroja’s phone rang. She did not want Sanjay to listen to her conversation and signalled him to leave. Sanjay came out of the room; he was confused. The labour room ayah Mariamma followed him. She said, ‘Doctor, it isn’t your fault. Dr Saroja wants to blame you for someone else’s error. The babies haven’t been switched. The truth is that one of the babies fell sick and died. The dead baby is a girl. The mother of the baby boy is Nanjamma. She had seen her son as soon as he was born and knew that she had given birth to a boy. However, Kempunanjamma’s chart is wrong—the young doctors on duty wrote the incorrect gender on her chart. She had given birth to a girl child but the chart incorrectly says that the baby was a boy. So she alleged that the boy baby was hers. That’s why there is a fight for the boy now. This is the mistake of the young doctors who spent most of the time looking at each other instead of correctly filling out the charts. It isn’t yours. Dr Saroja is their supervisor and she’s to blame.’

  Sanjay realized that Mariamma was telling the truth. He thought, ‘Nobody can switch babies easily. It’s a big offence and everybody knows it. As soon as a baby is born, it’s kept next to its mother. Forty years ago, every newborn was taken for a bath immediately after its birth. At that time, that baby’s hand was tagged with the mother’s name and the height and gender of the baby were noted. Today, that procedure has disappeared because of the shortage of water … Why am I being pulled into this controversy? I haven’t taken care of the two deliveries nor have I filled out the charts.’

  Dr Saroja called out to him again and asked him to step into her office. She said, ‘Sanjay, there may be an inquiry into the matter tomorrow. You must be careful.’

  ‘Madam, how am I connected to this?’

  ‘You were the senior doctor. You managed the deliveries.’

  ‘No, I didn’t manage them. I only checked their health once after you asked me to. The shift doctors were the ones who filled out the charts.’

  ‘But the shift doctors are juniors. Wasn’t it your responsibility to check what they had written?’

  Sanjay was really upset now. He quietly said, ‘No, madam. The duty doctors are postgraduate students. The standard rule is that the doctor who delivers should fill out the chart. Why would I not follow the standard rule? After all, I’m only an ordinary lecturer. I know my limitations.’

  Saroja became livid. ‘Dr Sanjay, don’t give me a lecture. Please remember that I’m your boss. You’ll face the inquiry tomorrow.’

  Dr Saroja’s phone rang again and Sanjay slipped away. He was worried. He wanted to see the charts but they were not available now. He knew that it was unjust to drag him into this. He couldn’t do anything because Dr Saroja was the head of the department. He felt helpless.

  As he was walking away, he met Govindanna, the office superintendent. Govindanna was a shrewd manager; he was cunning but had a soft corner for Sanjay. He could not stand Dr Saroja. Govindanna and Saroja were distant relatives but, more than that, they were bitter enemies. Govindanna told Sanjay, ‘I knew that you’d be the sacrificial lamb. This lady has connections everywhere.’

  Sanjay worriedly said, ‘Govindanna, I’m not connected to this case at all. She’s dragging me into this. May I see the charts?’

  Govindanna lowered his voice. ‘Dr Saroja is keeping them under lock and key because they are evidence. However, I have a copy.’

  Govindanna opened his steel cupboard and showed the copies to Sanjay. Sanjay recognized Dr Saroja’s handwriting. She had added his name to the charts. Sanjay was shocked. ‘Is this t