CBI books Lok Nayak Hospital’s former medical director, ex-official, 2 firms in corruption case

“The FIR has named: Dr Suresh Kumar, the then MD, LNH; Dr Hem Prakash, then Procurement Officer, CMO, LNH; Suresh Kumar Chaudhary, Proprietor of M/s Adison Equipment Company; and Mayank Parashar, Proprietor of M/s S R Surgical. They have been booked on charges of conspiracy and breach of trust for causing loss of crores of rupees to the government,” an official claimed.

“A preliminary enquiry… revealed that local authorised chemist, S R Surgical, in connivance with Dr Hem Prakash, caused loss to the government exchequer to the tune of several crores by demanding and supplying branded medicine instead of generic ones though there was no specific demand for branded medicine from particular wards/departments of LNH between 2018 and 2021,” the agency alleged in the FIR.

It also alleged that a probe revealed that an open tender was floated on May 31, 2017, on the Delhi government’s tendering site for procurement of general store sanitation consumable and non-consumable items, including macerators. “Five firms, including Adison Equipment Company and Faith Biotech Pvt. Ltd, had participated in the tender… Adison Equipment was selected as L-1 for supplying most of the items, including macerators… Faith Biotech was also selected as L-1 by the LNH authority on January 27, 2018. After that, LNH authority issued a Rate Contract to Adison Equipment and Faith Biotech… valid from January 29, 2018, to January 28, 2020,” the FIR said. “Enquiry has further revealed that on the expiry of the validity of the above rate contract on January 29, 2020, the same was extended from time to time till July 13, 2021, in favour of Adison Equipment… no fresh open tender was floated during the same period…”

The CBI claimed in its FIR that no reason has been given by the LNH authority with regard to not inviting a fresh tender.