A major scam involving the alleged embezzlement of nearly Rs 45 lakh under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana has come to light at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) in Patna. The hospital administration has lodged a formal complaint with the Shastri Nagar police station against four outsourced employees, identified as Amarjeet Raj, Chandan Kumar, Saket Kumar, and Abhishek Kumar, accusing them of fraud and financial irregularities.
Details of the Fraud
According to the complaint filed by Chief Administrative Officer Prafull Ranjan, the accused employees allegedly removed eligible patients from the Ayushman Bharat scheme and treated them on a cash basis. The money collected from these patients was then misappropriated. The fraudulent activities are believed to have continued over the past three to four months.
How the Scam Was Uncovered
The matter came to light when a patient reported that cash had been demanded for treatment despite being eligible under the scheme. Following this complaint, the hospital administration constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the allegations. The preliminary investigation reportedly found prima facie evidence of serious financial irregularities and misuse of government funds involving the four employees.
Action Taken
All four workers, who were deployed through an outsourcing agency, have been removed from duty with immediate effect. The outsourcing company has refunded the entire embezzled amount to the institute. The police have initiated an investigation into the financial transactions, while the health department will conduct a separate inquiry to identify lapses and recommend preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future.
This incident highlights the need for stricter oversight and monitoring of government health schemes to ensure that funds are utilized for the intended beneficiaries. The Ayushman Bharat scheme aims to provide health coverage to vulnerable families, and any misuse undermines its objectives.
