In a shocking revelation, a massive ₹9.94 crore fraud has come to light under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and the Chief Minister’s Jan Arogya Abhiyan in Uttar Pradesh. The scam, which allegedly took place in collaboration with several officials from a state agency, was reported by Dr. Brajesh Kumar Srivastava, the Nodal Officer of the agency, through an FIR lodged at Hazratganj Police Station.
According to Inspector Vikram Singh, the fraudulent activities involved the misuse of the agency's CEO, manager, and financial officer’s official email IDs. This manipulation allowed payments to be made under the names of 6,239 beneficiaries across 39 hospitals, despite no actual services being rendered. The scam was uncovered after the agency noticed discrepancies in daily payments made to hospitals for Ayushman Yojana beneficiaries. The scheme, which usually processes payments online through the National Health Authority portal, operates with a standard verification process. Hospitals upload treatment details, which are then reviewed and approved by the agency before funds are transferred. However, during a routine audit, it was found that the payments for the alleged transactions had not been authorized by the agency's officers, indicating that the fraudsters had bypassed the system using stolen login credentials.
While the police are yet to identify the full extent of the scam, the investigation has raised serious concerns about the security protocols within the agency.
Officials have stated that a thorough investigation is underway, and stringent action will be taken against those responsible for the embezzlement.
The UP government, while under public scrutiny, has promised to address the issue swiftly and ensure that all involved parties are held accountable. However, the incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding the management and oversight of health schemes intended to benefit the most vulnerable sections of society.
