The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has dismantled a bribery racket at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, resulting in the arrest of nine individuals, including two cardiologists and several other staff members. The operation, which exposed corruption at multiple levels within the prestigious hospital, was prompted by a cardiologist’s urgency to collect bribes before a planned trip to Europe.
The arrested individuals include cardiology Professor Ajay Raj and Assistant Professor Parvatagouda Channappagouda, clerks Bhuval Jaiswal and Sanjay Kumar, Cath Lab in charge Rajnish Kumar, middleman Vikas Kumar, and medical equipment suppliers Naresh Nagpal (Nagpal Technologies), Bharat Singh Dalal (Bharti Medical Technologies), and Abrar Ahmed (Scienmed). All were presented before a special court and remanded to CBI custody until May 14 for further interrogation. More medical suppliers and hospital staff are under investigation and may face arrest soon.
The CBI’s First Information Report (FIR) highlights numerous instances of corruption, including threats against patients for bribes. Clerks and nurses allegedly demanded Rs 20,000 from a pregnant woman for continued treatment, with Raj and Channappagouda accused of taking substantial bribes from medical equipment suppliers.
The FIR named 11 individuals and four firms, including six hospital employees, a middleman, and four medical equipment suppliers. It accused Raj and Parvatagouda of accepting bribes from equipment and stent suppliers to recommend their products to patients.
According to the CBI, Parvatagouda pressured suppliers to expedite bribe payments, citing an upcoming Europe trip. On May 2, he requested Rs 2.48 lakh from Nagpal, who assured payment by Tuesday. In March, Ahmed allegedly paid Rs 1.95 lakh to an account operated by Parvatagouda’s father, Basant Gauda. Another supplier, Akarshan Gulati, was asked to pay Rs 36,000 via UPI and the remaining amount in cash.
The FIR also details payments to Ajay Raj by Bharat Singh Dalal of Bharti Medical Technologies and notes that clerk Sanjay Kumar issued fake medical certificates for bribes, charging Rs 100 for a day’s rest recommendation. Kumar allegedly collected bribes for certificates recommending extended rest periods.
Clerk Bhuwal Jaiswal and nurse Shalu reportedly threatened to discontinue treatment and discharge a pregnant woman unless a Rs 20,000 bribe was paid, which was eventually made through UPI. Jaiswal is also accused of habitually accepting bribes for fixing appointments and extending favors to patients.
Additionally, Cath Lab in charge Rajnish Kumar allegedly asked Abrar Ahmed to pay Rs 1 lakh for recommending his firm’s equipment, with the payment reportedly made to Kumar’s father’s account.
