Jaipur doctor arrested for taking Rs 11 Lakh bribe for clearing Ayushman bills

Bhilwara: A Jaipur-based doctor, working as an Ayushman Bharat investigator, has been arrested for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 11 lakh from Siddhivinayak Hospital in Bhilwara for clearing its Ayushman Arogya Yojana bills.

According to recent media reports, the accused reportedly threatened the hospital authorities with de-empanelment from the scheme if they failed to pay the amount. Initially, he had demanded Rs 14 lakh from the hospital, but after negotiations, the deal was finalised at Rs 11 lakh.

The Ajmer unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which arrested the doctor, said Siddhivinayak Hospital provides treatment under the Chief Minister Ayushman Arogya Yojana and sends its bills to the state government’s authorised agency, the National Insurance Company, for payment.

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During a review, certain irregularities were found in the hospital’s bills, and the hospital was warned that it could be de-empanelled if the issues were not rectified. Taking advantage of this, the doctor allegedly asked for money to approve the bills and keep the hospital in the scheme.

However, the accused was arrested after the ACB received a complaint and laid a trap to catch him. The incident took place on Monday evening when the doctor came to collect the bribe. The hospital manager met him on Tilak Nagar Road with fake notes worth Rs 9 lakh and real notes worth Rs 2 lakh. As soon as the money was handed over, the ACB team arrested the doctor on the spot.

A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered, and further investigation is underway. The doctor is currently being interrogated at the ACB office.

Speaking to Bhaskar, the hospital manager said, "The doctor had been threatening us for a month, alleging fraud in the Ayushman Bharat scheme. He warned that the scheme would be stopped at the hospital unless a bribe of Rs 14 lakh was paid. Troubled by these threats, the hospital management approached the ACB."

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