A government doctor was arrested for allegedly assaulting some members of a government team that was on a surprise visit to a private nursing home here on Tuesday evening.

Rakesh Gope, a gynaecologist posted at the Raiganj Government Medical College and Hospital, has denied the charge.

Sources said the North Dinajpur district administration had been receiving complaints for the past few days that some private nursing homes in Raiganj town were denying treatment to patients with Swasthya Sathi cards — which are provided under the state-run free health insurance scheme.

District magistrate Arvind Kumar Mina instructed Rafikul Islam, the coordinator of the scheme in the district, to look into the charges. Late on Tuesday evening, Islam and his team started making surprise visits to private nursing homes in the town.

At a healthcare facility in the Debinagar area, families of some patients told the inspection team that the hospital was not accepting the insurance cards.

“The team went to speak to the hospital authorities. Gope, along with some of his associates, intercepted the team, abused the officials and assaulted some of them,” said a source in the district health department.

Islam later narrated the incident to the DM and lodged a police complaint.

“Gope has been booked under sections 186 (voluntarily obstructing public servant in discharging public duties), 341/342 (wrongful restraint) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty) of the IPC,” said a police officer.

A court here on Wednesday remanded Gope in jail custody for five days.