Mumbai: Woman files case vs beauty company for forging papers after botch-up

A botched botox treatment forced her to hide at home for nearly six months but Gitanjali Singh 57 has finally brought her ordeal to light after submitting a police complaint against VLCC The Versova police have summoned officials from the cosmetic clinic chain which not only bungled her treatment but allegedly also forged the south Mumbai residents signature on a consent formGitanjalis lawyer submitted a written complaint to the Versova police on August 3 alleging that VLCC enticed the SoBo resident to get Botox and filler injections although they did not have qualified experts to administer the treatmentThe resident of Bhulabhai Desai Road had initially accompanied her daughter to the Andheri branch for a massage and had enquired about weight loss and hair treatmentShe purchased their hair treatment but the representatives at the outlet kept persuading her to buy other products and services She gave in as they had promised good discount and freebies She was manipulated into various other treatments that were not even required said Gitanjalis advocate Manoj MirchandaniBotched BotoxAccording to the complaint Gitanjali paid Rs 96000 and underwent the first Botox session in the first week of November 2017 followed by a second session on November 14 when Juvederm fillers were injected under her eyes by a staffer identified as Hina Mukadam who claimed to be a doctor Within two days Gitanjalis face was distorted by facial allergies rashes lumps swelling and rednessI immediately contacted Hina via SMS calls and WhatsApp I was called to the clinic twice when Hina said it was nothing but a normal rash which should be massaged right away She pressed my face heavily with her thumbs which aggravated the condition and caused me unbearable pain recalled Gitanjali in her statementShe added As time passed my condition worsened and the pain became unbearable In the first week of December they brought another doctor Rubina Shaikh for corrective treatment But the corrective treatments worsened my condition and aggravated the swelling My eyes were watery and my lips were swollenShe went back to the clinic yet again on December 10 when senior cosmetologist Dr Tulla was flown down from Gurgaon to consult on the case I was shocked that the only advice they could offer was not to touch my face for at least three months I insisted that the centre show me Hinas licence but they didnt do so recalled the victim who still has a session pending at the centreInstead senior officials from VLCC allegedly called her and offered R6 lakh to settle the matter which Gitanjali rejected She sent them a legal notice on December 21 2017 to which they never respondedForged consent formGitanjali moved the consumer dispute redressal commission but was shocked to learn that in response VLCC filed consent forms that were allegedly forged page no 38 and 39 Their affidavit had consent forms and post care treatment guidelines but I never signed or even filled any such forms she allegedAdvocate Mirchandani added It is VLCC who by their negligent behaviour and with sole intention of roping in rich clients are offering beauty packages without any professional and qualified experts to conduct such line of cosmetic treatmentsCopspeakFor now the police have started investigation into the complaint Ravindra Badgujar senior police inspector at Versova police station said We have issued summons to the parties named in the complaint letter and once we hear their side of the story we will accordingly decide whether to register a criminal offenceVLCCs defence and counterallegationsWe have clarified to the police that the matter is already sub judice in the state commission The customer was strictly advised to abstain from smoking post treatment She did not adhere to that resulting in the skin issues she faced afterwards said a spokesperson from VLCCThere are temporary aftereffects of every skin treatment or any skinrelated procedure There was no medical negligence whatsoever in the clients skin procedure as also mentioned in our statement to the court We want to underline the fact that filler or any skin treatment needs some precautions after procedure like abstaining from smoking or tobacco and alcohol etc Failing to follow the advice often results in unsightly side effects added the spokesperson who did not comment on the allegations of forgery Gitanjalis lawyer countered My client is not a habitual smoker nor was she informed about the risks of smokingSmoking isnt the culpritDr Satish Bhatia a dermatologist and cutaneous surgeon who has worked with Botox for 21 years said Smoking definitely could not have been the main cause for such a serious reactionThese days numerous outlets give cosmetic treatments which otherwise should be performed only by qualified and trained dermatologists or plastic surgeons he cautionedResearch the risks Juviderm fillers can at times cause allergic reactions warned Dr Satish Bhatia One of the commonest side effects is Orofacial Granulomas which can lead to embolism and may even cause permanent blindness Consult a dermatologist before treatment Ask about probable adverse reactions Insist on seeing the license qualification and experience of practitioner Ask for references from other clientsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates