FIR Filed Against Three Suspended Bhopal PHQ Officials For ₹75 Lakh Medical Reimbursement Scam

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): An FIR has been registered against three suspended police personnel from accounts section of PHQ for allegedly withdrawing funds using fake and fabricated medical bills, officials said on Wednesday. The scam surfaced in the accounts section of the police headquarters.

Preliminary investigations revealed that accounts officer ASI Neeraj Ahirwar, clerks Harsh Bhankhede, and Harihar Soni committed fraud by claiming reimbursements for fake medical bills issued in their own names, in the name of the family members and a few other police personnel.

ADG, Anil Kumar told Free Press that the trio had withdrawn around Rs 75 lakh filing fabricated medical bills. The trio were suspended on January 8. “The treasury officer spotted huge money transfers in three accounts against medical bills. The treasury officials alerted the PHQ following which the transactions were closely monitored and it came to fore that the three personnel were withdrawing huge amounts as reimbursement against the medical bills,” the ADG said.

The trio prepared fake and fabricated medical bills for treatment of prolonged illness in their own names, in the name of their family members and continued withdrawing the amount, the officer said. The trio gained expertise in fabricating documents for ailments such as kidney disease, diabetes, and hypertension. They also withdrew money using medical certificates of other personnel, though such incidents were fewer, the officer added. Jahangirabad police have registered an FIR against the trio for cheating.