Five persons have been arrested for allegedly trying to dupe patients and their families at SSKM Hospital and Medical College, Kolkata.

Police said the accused took money from patients’ families after promising to arrange beds for them at government hospitals.

“The five accused were members of rackets that are active in and around government hospitals and they dupe patients from districts,” said an officer.

The majority of the people visiting government hospitals face such touts, who convince the families that they would ensure the patients’ admission without any delay. Admission through the official channel, the families are told, would take a long time.

Assurances are also given that the patients will be treated on a priority basis.

The detective department of Kolkata Police raided the two hospitals and arrested the five. The men picked up from SSKM were Sahin Sardar, Banti Prasad and Rakesh Mullick. The two arrested at Medical College, Kolkata, have been identified as Krishna Pandit and Utpal Das.

Cases have been registered at Bhowanipore and Bowbazar police stations.

This is not the first time that the police have made such arrests at government hospitals in the city.

Police said raids were conducted periodically based on specific information or complaints from the patients who have been duped.

As patients are treated for free at government hospitals, there is always a rush for admission there.