CUTTACK: Crime Branch of Odisha police has taken up the investigation of the Biju Swasthya Kalyna Yojana (BSKY) health card fraud, a week after five persons including owner and staff of a city-based private hospital were arrested on the charge of embezzling BSKY card funds by duping gullible residents of 42 Mouza locality.The CB team which has assumed charge of investigation and is said to have seized several important documents relating to BSKY fraud from South Point Hospital located at Arunodaya Nagar here.
“We will pray court for police remand of all the five under trial prisoners (UTPs) arrested earlier in connection with the case to interrogate them to ascertain the antecedent and also the extent of embezzlement in state government’s flagship programme, BSKY scheme,” said Behera.
The fraudulent misuse of BSKY health card fraud in the private hospital came to fore, after one Krushna Chandra Bhoi, ward member of Aranch village in 42 Mouza filed an FIR in this connection with the local police on January 9.
During investigation, the owner and staff of South Point Hospital in collusion with brokers were found to have withdrawn several lakhs by generating fictitious and false bills without the required hospitalisation of patients. The ‘gullible’ card holders were given the impression that their cards will be renewed and they were handed out `2,000 each by the unscrupulous staff of the hospital.
The 42 Mouza police had arrested five accused persons including owner of the private hospital Binay Santuka (49), hospital’s administrative officer Subhranshu Sekhar Rout (27) security manager Umakanta Saseni (49) of Bantunia and two brokers- Laxmidhar Lenka (52) and Trinath Behera (65). As many as 14 BSKY cards were seized from their possession.
Meanwhile, as per the instruction of state government, Cuttack CDMO Satyabrat Chhotray has issued closure notice to Panda Nursing Home in Athagarh for embezzlement of BSKY funds.
“After BSKY fraud was revealed in South Point Hospital, different private hospitals and nursing homes in Cuttack are under the scanner. Explanation has been sought from two reputed private hospitals in Cuttack after allegation of BSKY health card fraud,” said Chhotray.