KEM hospital staff booked for siphoning Rs 61.65 lakh

Explaining the case, the police said that several patients from across the country come to KEM Hospital for treatment, many of whom are unable to meet the cost of treatment and medicines. Such patients have the facility to seek financial help from the Chief Minister and Prime Minister Relief Fund.

The needy patient must submit requisite documents, and get a utilisation certificate from the hospital along with the estimated cost of treatment, an official said. Once the committee gives the nod, the money is deposited in KEM Hospital’s account.

After relevant scrutiny and approval, files would be sent to Gaikwad to initiate payment to pharmacies for the materials.”

The investigator said that before initiating payment, Gaikwad, misusing her position, would add medical bills to the files, forged doctor’s signatures added the relevant stamp, and processed the payment through net banking. “We suspect that some pharmacies are also party to the scam, as Gaikwad would wire money to their accounts and take cash from them later,” said a police officer.

It was on January 6, while checking documents of a patient, that an office bearer at the hospital came across discrepancies, and noticed the forged signatures of an assistant dean and a deputy dean. “They were called to verify their signatures, which turned out to be forged. The dean of the hospital was then informed,” said an officer.

When hospital officials questioned Gaikwad, she confessed to the crime. An inquiry by hospital authorities revealed that she has been defrauding the hospital since April 2022 and had siphoned off Rs 61.65 lakh.