Elderly man who alleges lapses on part of ophthalmologists operating from Vashi clinic opens up to mid-day about his struggle to survive; an investigation by the Maharashtra Medical Council revealed that four individuals lost their vision due to alleged medical negligence
Rajendra Gupta at Dr Tatyarao Pundlikrao Lahane’s clinic in Prabhadevi on Thursday. Pic/Rane Ashish
I lost 100 per cent vision in my left eye and only 30 per cent remains in my right eye. How will I live like this?” Rajendra Gupta, a 67-year-old Vashi resident whose eyesight was permanently damaged after visiting a private clinic, asked mid-day.
An investigation by the Maharashtra Medical Council revealed that four individuals lost their vision due to alleged medical negligence. Following this, the Vashi police registered an FIR against the doctors involved and launched an investigation.
The FIR has been filed against Dr Chandan Pandit and his father, Dr DV Pandit, who run the Pandit Eye Surgery & Laser Hospital at Sector 10, Vashi. The police have also discovered that the doctors had not renewed their licences with the Maharashtra Medical Council.
Gupta said, “I lost 100 per cent vision in my left eye and only 30 per cent vision remains in my right eye after the surgery. These doctors took away my vision in just 15 minutes. I’m now afraid to walk. I’ve stopped going to work, and I’ve had to shut my trading business. A few days ago, I fell in the bathroom and suffered serious injuries because of my poor vision, all caused by the doctors.”
According to the police, Gupta first visited the hospital, where he consulted Dr Chandan Pandit, in December 2024. The doctor advised him to undergo eye surgery. On December 31, Dr Chandan Pandit performed the surgery, after which Gupta’s vision deteriorated significantly.
A few days later, the doctor prescribed eye drops, but there was no improvement. On March 26, 2025, another surgery was performed on his right eye, by which time Gupta had already lost 100 per cent of his vision in his left eye.
Following this, Gupta approached Dr Tatyarao Lahane, a renowned eye specialist and former dean of Grant Medical College. After a series of tests, it was found that Gupta had contracted a Pseudomonas (bacterial) infection, leading to severe damage to his eyes.
Multiple alleged lapses
Gupta immediately filed complaints with the Vashi police and the Maharashtra Medical Council, citing gross medical negligence. Investigations revealed that on March 27, 2025, Gupta underwent a blood sugar test at Nova Diagnostics laboratory in Vashi. His random blood sugar (RBS) level was found to be 229 mg/dL. However, the doctors failed to conduct the necessary HbA1c, fasting, and post-lunch sugar tests before proceeding with surgery.
The doctors allegedly did not follow guidelines prescribed by the All India Ophthalmological Society and the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment. Hospital records mentioned that Gupta had chronic iridocyclitis (inflammation of the iris). In such cases, topical steroid drops should be administered before surgery, which was not done. On March 28, during a follow-up visit, corneal issues were detected in his left eye. The report noted “Anterior Chamber Haze”, but this was not disclosed to the patient.
Although corneal infection was observed during the first week after surgery, it was not documented in the report. A B-scan sonography — an imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to create cross-sectional images of the eye — which should have been done after signs of infection, was not performed. An intravitreal injection was administered without consulting a vitreoretinal surgeon, which is against medical protocol. The Maharashtra Medical Council also found that all surgery papers were signed by Dr DV Pandit, but all patients claimed that the procedures were carried out by his son.
The struggle
Gupta said, “Over the past four months, I have stopped working. I can no longer ride my bike. I’ve fallen at home multiple times and suffered serious injuries. I’m afraid to leave my house because I can’t see the road clearly. With just 30 per cent vision in one eye, I can’t judge distances properly. Dr Lahane has confirmed that I’ve lost 100 per cent vision in my left eye. He’s trying to help me recover what’s left, and I’m hoping to regain at least some of my vision.”
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