Nurse Allegedly Lies About New Mom Testing HIV Positive After Being Denied Bribe

A nurse in India was reportedly facing an investigation after she allegedly planted a false story that a woman, who had just given birth, tested positive for HIV.

Authorities in the southern state of Karnataka said the nurse was miffed at the woman and her family because they did not pay her a bribe, The News Minute reported.

The accused, identified only as Latha, worked at a government hospital in the district of Kadapa. The victim, B Subhashini, was admitted to the hospital Sunday night, and gave birth to a baby girl.

The next morning, Latha approached Subhashini and asked her for Rs 2,000 ($26.34). Latha claimed she deserved it for ensuring the woman's delivery went hassle-free.

However, the woman refused to pay the nurse as she did not have any money with her. Subhashini told the accused she would be paid once her husband arrived at the hospital.

Upset that her demands were not met immediately, Latha reportedly decided to take revenge on the woman. When Subhashini's husband arrived at the hospital Monday morning, Latha informed him the former had tested positive for HIV. The family approached the hospital authorities immediately after the fake claim left them in extreme distress.

The woman had undergone an HIV test twice as per protocols before giving birth, The New Indian Express reported. The results of the tests were negative both times.

On further inquiry, Latha confessed to the hospital authorities she had lied to the woman's husband. She said she just wanted to scare the family for not paying her.

"We conducted an internal inquiry after the victim’s husband made an official complaint with us. In the inquiry, we found that the nurse had indeed caused distress to the family for not giving them money," hospital superintendent Dr. David Selvin Raj told the news outlet.

The woman's family also approached the police, but haven't filed a formal complaint against the nurse yet.

"We have not received any complaint from the husband. The case is being dealt with by the hospital superintendent," a police officer told The News Minute.

Following this, the hospital authorities sent the report to the district authorities for further action.