Ayushman Card scam: Crime branch nabs two doctors for swindling lakhs of rupees

BHOPAL (Madhya Pradesh): The crime branch has arrested two doctors including BDS Dr Vivek Parihar, director of Vaishno Multi Specialty Hospital, Piplani, for allegedly swindling lakhs of rupees under the Ayushman Bharat scheme meant to provide healthcare to the poor, an official said.

†"We arrested hospital director Dr Vivek Singh Parihar and his associate Amit Ingle, who embezzled lakhs of rupees in the treatment of around 200 patients under the scheme," crime branch deputy commissioner of police Amit Kumar said. The duo with help of middlemen allegedly got patients admitted to the hospital and inflated their bills for false claims under the Ayushman Bharat scheme , crime branch officials added.††

The Ayushman Card administration lodged an FIR with the crime branch when they suspected something foul in the entire billing. The hospital has received Rs 1.71 crore under Ayushman Yojana. The department will initiate recovery of the amount from the Hospital.Vivek, who holds BDS degree, used to get people's cards made with the help of friend Amit Ingle, who worked in the hospital, while pharmacist Devendra Negi used to bring documents of the card holders through touts. In this way, he treated 32 such people as patients, who never came to the hospital. He used to give them 20% commission.

Ayushman Card Yojana Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Anurag Chaudhary said, We lodged an FIR against two doctors of the Vaibhav Hospital. We suspected the way, hospital was sending the bills for clearance. We got it confirmed through the call centre, then, the patient told us that he never went to hospital for treatment. After it, we investigated and then lodged an FIR against Hospital director Dr Vivek Parihar. Investigation revealed that Vivek has taken payment of more than Rs 1 crore† under the Ayushman scheme by claiming hospitalization of 62 fake patients. Out of this, there are 32 patients who have not been admitted to the hospital. Using their documents, the hospital withdrew the amount under the scheme.