BANGALORE: The Lokayukta police on Monday registered cases against 52 doctors posted at government hospitals in Chikballapur district for illegally drawing special allowance granted to them for staying in rural areas and rendering emergency services.
Acting on the information that doctors were not staying in rural areas and unavailable during emergency, but continued to draw special allowances, the Lokayukta police conducted checks at the hospitals. Sources said the exchequer incurred a loss of Rs 29.49 lakh because of the doctors’ false claims.
According to the Lokayukta police, the doctors have availed allowances between Rs 5,000 and Rs 8,000, besides taking Rs 3,000 for emergency medical services.
They have claimed the allowance between August 1, 2011 and March 29, 2012. The government has been providing an allowance of Rs 7,000 to ensure doctors reside in the places where they are posted. Doctors with PG qualification get Rs 8,000, super specialty doctors get Rs 10,000, those without diploma or PG degree, but have served for five years in rural areas get Rs 5,000 apart from Rs 3,000 for attending emergency cases. Chikballapur Lokayukta Superintendent of Police M Krishnappa registered cases against the doctors under IPC including section 13 (1) (c).