NEW DELHI: A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged by the Station Commander, Amritsar Cantt at Police Station, Cantonment Amritsar on 02 October 2020 for cheating, mischief, forgery, making false documents and breach of contract against the 14 Doctors and One Director.
As per the copy of the FIR available to The New Indian Express, these frauds were being carried out in collusion with five retired soldiers in support with four civilians and were found to be colluding with the hospitals.
As per Army sources, the issue came to light through an email from Ministry of Defence (Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare) on 22 May 2020 regarding complaint by Dr Sunil Dutt, CMD Neelkanth Hospital, Amritsar against Dr Rajesh of ECHS Polyclinic, Tarn Taran alleging that he was asking bribes from the hospitals and also threatened dis-empanelment of the hospital, in case his demands were not met.
Complaint was sent to Chandigarh based Western Command and Headquarters (HQ) 91 Sub Area for investigation on 19 May 2020.
A Court of Inquiry (CoI) was ordered by HQ 91 Sub Area to investigate and identify Empanelled Hospitals indulging in fraudulent Emergency admissions recommend suitable disciplinary action against any such Empanelled Hospital.
Further investigation revealed the identities of ECHS beneficiaries found to be trading/misusing their ECHS Cards for financial gratification. The CoI was also to recommend suitable disciplinary action against them.
As per the Army sources Board of Officers (BOO) established that seven Hospitals had violated various clauses of Memorandum of Agreements and were found involved in fraud to make gains out of Government funds thorough fraudulent admission of ECHS.
It was found that eight doctors had prescribed wrong medication or had allowed their signature block or stamp in counterfeiting the medical case sheets.
Recommendations of BOO were endorsed by commanders of Western Command.
MD ECHS is processing the case for dis-empanelment of seven hospitals / Health Care Centres. Sources in Army informed that based on the preliminary report of malpractices by following hospitals and recommendations of GOC 91 Sub Area & HQ Western Command, MD ECHS had ordered for ‘Stop Referral’ to Verma Hospital, Neelkanth Hospital and Life Kare Hospital, all in Amritsar.