Bhopal hospital booked over alleged forged signatures, fake staff entries under Ayushman Bharat

According to the EOW, the case was registered against the operator of Srishti Hospital and others under Sections 318(4), 336(3), 340(2) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the alleged fraud, reports ANI.

The EOW said the hospital had been empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat scheme in 2023. Hospitals seeking empanelment are required to provide details of qualified doctors and staff, including their registration numbers and confirmation that they are actually working at the hospital.

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According to the EOW investigation, the hospital, located in Bhopal’s Karond locality, had shown 45 staff entries on the Ayushman Bharat online portal, while only around 15 different names were found in the list. Several doctors and nursing staff were allegedly listed multiple times, with some names appearing as many as four times. 

The probe also found that the same mobile number was entered against all 45 staff entries, which was identified as the mobile number of the hospital operator.

The woman pathologist whose name was allegedly listed four times on the hospital’s staff list told the agency that she had never worked at the hospital and had neither submitted any documents nor given consent for the use of her name. Her name allegedly continued to remain on the list even after she asked to get it removed. 

The investigation further found that pathology reports were issued in the name of the hospital's Department of Pathology, bearing the name, registration number and seal of an MD pathologist. The doctor concerned told investigators that the signatures on the reports didn’t belong to him and were different from his actual signatures.

The EOW further found that district health department records did not show permission for the hospital to operate a pathology laboratory.

The agency added that several pathology reports with disputed signatures were linked to patients treated under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The hospital operator admitted in writing that these patients were admitted under the scheme. 

According to ANI, it was also found that the records show 709 beneficiaries were treated at the hospital in 2025, while the management failed to provide doctors’ appointment letters, salary or attendance records, pathology lab permission or patient treatment files despite repeated requests.

Based on these findings, the EOW registered the case and initiated an investigation. The total amount of payments received under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and the role of other persons allegedly involved in the matter are being investigated.

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