The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) has apprehended 10 individuals involved in a nefarious scheme to supply sub-standard medical items to several government hospitals in the capital, ACB officials informed on Wednesday.
Madhur Verma, ACB chief, stated that the investigation, spearheaded by the Vigilance wing of the Health and Family Welfare Department, GNCTD, uncovered a web of deceit involving suppliers, manufacturers, laboratory owners, and even government officials.
The accused, including seven suppliers/manufacturers and three laboratory owners/managers/pharmacists, stand accused of colluding with government hospital officers and officials to deliver sub-standard medical supplies to six major hospitals in Delhi - LBS, LNJPN, DDU, SGM, JSSH, and GTB.
Among the arrested individuals, Hemant Joshi (43), Rahul Chaurasiya (31), Kamal Deep Singh (33), Kapil Makhija (31), Arjinder Pal Singh (61), Rajesh Malhotra (58), Harneet Singh Bindra (42), Shekhar Sharma (36), Shahid Chaudhary (31), and Bipin Kumar Pathak (58) were identified, each playing a pivotal role in the fraudulent scheme. Upon inspection, anomalies were detected by the Vigilance teams during visits to the aforementioned hospitals, leading to the collection of samples such as Rolled Bandages, IV sets, and other medical equipment.
Shockingly, a majority of these samples failed quality testing or were found to be sub-standard. Investigations revealed a disturbing pattern of fraudulent activities, including the issuance of fake receipts by hospitals without actual receipt of items and the preparation of forged laboratory reports, Verma confirmed. The arrestees, spanning from suppliers to laboratory personnel, were found to have manipulated the procurement process through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal. Investigations exposed instances where suppliers evaded the requisite lab reports and licenses stipulated in the GeM contracts.
Furthermore, discrepancies were found in batch numbers and delivery dates, indicating the procurement of sub-standard materials from local markets, the ACB chief mentioned.
Hemant Joshi, registered as a supplier on the GeM portal, stands accused of providing forged lab reports for handloom rolled bandages supplied to LNJPN Hospital. Similarly, Kapil Makhija and Kamaldeep Singh allegedly supplied sub-standard absorbent cotton and IV sets, respectively, with forged or incomplete lab reports.
Arjinder Pal Singh and Rajesh Malhotra, involved in supplying surgical rubber gloves and conducting lab tests, were found guilty of manipulating delivery records and producing forged lab reports. Harneet Singh Bindra, operating multiple firms, was implicated in supplying sub-standard sanitiser cans and IV sets, supported by falsified documents, Madhur Verma said.