CBI raids AIIMS Rishikesh over allegations of irregularities

Rishikesh: In a probe against alleged irregularities, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team on Friday morning raided the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, in connection with the appointments and procurement made during the tenure of former director Ravi Kant. 

The raid was conducted by a seven-member CBI team currently questioning the medical officers in connection with the case. 

While conducting the search, the team found several documents pertaining to the case, which has been scrutinized. 

AIIMS, Rishikesh law officer Pradeep Pandey said the investigating agency has sought additional documents related to the alleged irregularities which are being provided to it.

The search was conducted by a CBI team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajeev Chandola. The CBI conducted raids at AIIMS, Rishikesh, in April 2022 and registered two separate cases against five people.

Similarly, a CBI team also raided in AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, over an alleged irregularity in a tender process on Thursday morning. 

While searching the pharmacy store on the premises of the premier medical institute, the team found massive irregularities in the tender process in the pharmacy store. The team reportedly seized many crucial documents during the raid to check the tender process accordingly. 

The owner of the pharmacy and the management of the institute maintained silence during an interrogation by the CBI team. The case is currently under investigation and a detailed report is awaited.

It was a surprise raid that comprise the eight-member unit of the central agency which carried out raids at a pharmacy store on the premises of the premier medical institute, reports Odisha TV .

Also read- AIIMS Rishikesh : CBI Seized Documents Due To Alleged Irregularities In Appointments

Before the CBI began its probe into the irregularities, the vigilance department had also conducted a probe into malpractices in the award of tenders for the procurement of equipment and allocation of space to a pharmacy inside AIIMS, Rishikesh.

One of the CBI officers told TOI, "The team reached AIIMS in the morning around 8 am. The officers had gone there as part of their ongoing probe in the case registered last year in April when it had conducted the previous raid. A total of eight people, including five former office-bearers of the institute's management, were booked for corruption last year. Friday's action was to proceed with the probe by investigating the related documents and questioning some of the suspects. The raid will continue till officers finish investigating the required documents."

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported about the raid that was conducted in 2022 in AIIMS Rishikesh. The CBI(Central Bureau of Investigation) registered a case and began the investigation regarding irregularities in appointments and purchases at the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, during the tenure of its former Director, Ravi Kant.

The CBI raids followed allegations by social and political organizations in procurement and recruitment made by former AIIMS Director Ravi Kant. 

Before the CBI began its probe into the case, the Central Vigilance Commission had also conducted a detailed investigation into the alleged irregularities in material procurements and appointments made during Ravi Kant's tenure, an AIIMS official said, requesting anonymity.

Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered two separate FIRs on the allegations of malpractices in the award of tenders for the procurement of a road sweeping machine and for the setting up of a chemist shop inside AIIMS in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.

One FIR was related to a loss of approximately Rs 2.41 crore in allegations of malpractices in the award of tenders for the procurement of a road sweeping machine where 5 persons were booked. The second FIR was related to a loss of approximately Rs 2 crore in the allotment of tender for setting up a chemist shop at AIIMS Rishikesh where 3 persons were booked.

Also read- Rs 4 Crore Corruption Case: FIR Against AIIMS Rishikesh 3 Faculty Members, Multiple Other Personnel