2 doctors arrested for allegedly taking Rs 8 lakh bribe for clearing food bill of COVID-19 patients

Written by Sanchari Chattopadhyay Published On 2020-11-02T17:17:59+05:30 | Updated On 2 Nov 2020 5:17 PM IST

2 doctors arrested for allegedly taking Rs 8 lakh bribe for clearing food bill of COVID-19 patients

Gujarat: In a case of bribery, two Gujarat based doctors have been caught red-handed by the Gujarat Anti Corruption Bureau recently while accepting a bribe of rupees 8 lakhs to clear the due bill for food served to COVID-19 patients and the staff admitted at the hospital.

The accused doctors have been identified as medical officers of Sola Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad.

According to ACB officials, one of the doctors is a medical officer-cum-in charge resident medical officer (RMO) and the other is a medical officer-cum-in charge administrative officer (Grade 2), at Government Medical Education and Research Society (GMERS) Medical College and Hospital.

The offenders were caught by the ACB sleuths who hatched a plan to trap the offenders and catch them in action. The accused have been booked under various charges of bribery and have been sent to two days of police remand on Friday.

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The Times of India reports that this came after the complainant approached the Anti Corruption Bureau alleging that the doctors have asked for a bribe of rupees 18 lakhs to clear the bill for the food provided in COVID wards of the hospital and also to provide his brother with a tender for another three years.

The complainant informed that the bill amounted to as much as 1.8 crores as his brother served food to COVID-19 patients and staff of the hospital as well for the past four months. The complainant informed the officials that they have already been compelled to provide rupees 10 lakhs to both the officials in the past.

The doctors again demanded 8 lakhs, under such circumstances, they approached ACB authorities. The ACB officials allowed the complainant to approach the doctors as he was supposed to pay the remaining amount in the RMO's office so that they can be caught in action.

G V Padheriya, the assistant director of ACB stated that the complainant informed that the superintendent of the Hospital previously gave tender to his brother's canteen to avail water and food to all the COVID-19 patients and medical staff of the hospital. After four months of providing the necessary food and water, the total bill amount was rupees 1.8 crores. Initially, the accused demanded a 30% cut to clear the bill. But later they suggested that he should pay rupees 16 lakhs as commissions.

He further told TIE that "then they further demanded Rs 2 lakh from the complainant in exchange for providing three years' tender to his brother's canteen. We have recovered the bribe amount from the doctors and detained them. Their Covid-19 test has been conducted. They will be arrested formally after the results are out." ACB is still trying to trace the 10 lakhs which was previously accepted as bribe by the doctor duo.

Riddhi Dave, police inspector, ACB informed The Indian Express, "The two accused doctors were formally arrested on Thursday night after their Covid-19 test and were booked under sections 7, 12, 13(1) and 13(2) under Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) act. Today, they were presented before a special additional sessions judge in Mirzapur court where we had demanded a five-day remand. We have been given remand of the accused till 11 am November 1," said Riddhi Dave, police inspector, ACB.

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Source : with inputs

Sanchari Chattopadhyay

Sanchari Chattopadhyay has pursued her M.A in English and Culture Studies from the University of Burdwan, West Bengal. She likes observing cultural specificities and exploring new places.