Following the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) alleging corruption against Garima Saini, a representative of Rana Hospital in Ajmer, and Rahul Sharma, a Lower Division Clerk (LDC) from the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) office in Jaipur, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids in both cities. The Additional Director of CGHS in Jaipur filed a complaint, which led to the filing of the FIR. The allegation accused Sharma and Saini of bribery and of manipulating the hospital empanelment procedure.
Private hospitals can apply to be in collaboration with the government healthcare program and offer services to CGHS beneficiaries through the empanelment process. Hospitals must submit specified forms and a one-lakh security deposit in order to apply for empanelment. These applications are reviewed by a special committee to ascertain whether the hospitals fulfill the requirements for CGHS empanelment.
LDC Rahul Sharma has been in charge of managing the empanelment procedure at the CGHS office in Jaipur since April 2022. The FIR claims that Sharma accepted bribes from hospitals looking to be empanelled in order to take advantage of his position for personal benefit. According to reports, he went to hospitals and offered, in exchange for cash payments made illegally, to help them complete the application forms.
According to the investigation, Sharma allegedly used a forgery of an authorized Prakash Eye Hospital representative’s signature in July 2023 to obtain a demand draft for Rs 1 lakh on the hospital’s behalf. This was carried out without the hospital’s knowledge or approval. Moreover, it has been stated that he abused his power by giving demand drawings from five hospitals to Garima Saini, who was only permitted to pick up the draft for Ajmer’s Rana Hospital. This procedural violation suggests a more extensive conspiracy involving financial transaction manipulation and money laundering throughout the empanelment process.
To get information and combat the suspected wrongdoing, the CBI launched an investigation and conducted searches. This case calls into doubt the validity of the CGHS empanelment procedure and raises concerns about possible third-party involvement in the abuse of public resources for private gain. It is anticipated that the authorities will carry out more investigation into the case in order to guarantee responsibility and openness in the healthcare system.
Due to the fact that the CGHS empanelment procedure is essential to private hospitals working with the government to provide healthcare services to millions of people throughout India, these changes have increased scrutiny of the process.
SOURCE :
TIMES OF INDIA
