India's ED raids 19 locations in opposition-ruled states for alleged fraud by hospitals

Indian law enforcement agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday (Jul 31) raided 19 locations in states like Punjab and Himachal in connection with alleged fraud by hospitals regarding a union government public health insurance scheme. Both states are ruled by India's opposition parties: Himachal Pradesh by Congress and Punjab by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

What did the ED say?

The federal agency said it took the action in response to a complaint filed by Himachal's State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. As per allegations, some hospitals were generating fake ID cards under the central government's Ayushman Bharat Yojana.

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The ED claimed its probe revealed that Bankey Bihari Hospital, Fortis Hospital, Balaji Hospital, Sood Nursing Home, and Sri Harihar Hospital availed illegal benefits under the government scheme.

Hospitals of Congress aides under scanner

As per news reports, hospitals linked to Congress lawmaker RS Bali and Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's close aide Rajesh Sharma are also under scanner.

"During the investigation, as many as 373 fake Ayushman cards were identified wherein claims of about Rs 40,68,150 were made for reimbursement from the government in the name of treatments given to the Ayushman card beneficiaries," the ED said.

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"List of such fake beneficiaries included the names of Rajnish Kumar (ABPMJAY Card No. PPKZU26H7) and Pooja Dhiman (ABPMJAY Card No. PICHWGI08) who, on verification, even denied possession or any information of any such PMJAY Card," the agency said. "Further, they never underwent any such treatment in any of these hospitals."

The agency said some hospitals even made fake claims of treatments/surgery/admission that were never offered to the patients.

Upon the revelation, several fake beneficiary cards were scrapped by the authorities and the accused hospitals were delisted from the government scheme.

"8937 Ayushman Bharat golden cards have so far been scrapped in HP for alleged violation of the AB-PMJAY scheme. As per investigation conducted so far, the case involves PoC of about Rs 25 crore," the agency said.

(With inputs from agencies)