Chhattisgarh health scams: Two directors in net,third on the run

As a series of health scams,all of which took place during the BJPs previous regime,are out in the open,the Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh is acting tough,cracking down on senior officials of the health department....

As a series of health scams,all of which took place during the BJPs previous regime,are out in the open,the Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh is acting tough,cracking down on senior officials of the health department,fictitious firms and suppliers allegedly involved in the scandals.

While the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI has registered a case of corruption against health departments two directors,both senior doctors,and a retired health director in connection with the Rs 20 crore malaria medicines and equipment scam,the state police have been probing Colour Doppler and ICCU multi-para monitor scam,malaria spray pump and microscope scandal,syringe procurement scam and a case of alleged swindling of funds meant for Kala Jatha street theatre for creating awareness on health issues.

State Bureau of Investigation of Economic Offences EOW too has registered a case against seven people,including doctors,for alleged embezzlement and irregularities in purchase of substandard microscopes.

Incidentally,all these scams took place during the previous tenure of the BJP government when MBBS medical practitioner -turned-politician Dr Krishnamurthy Bandhi was health minister. While he lost the November 2008 Assembly polls,three health directors under him are now facing corruption charges. Dr D K Sen has secured anticipatory bail in Colour Doppler scam while Dr B K Sarva is in judicial custody. Dr Pramod Singh,who has gone underground since November last year as his name figured in the scam,has been suspended after courts rejected his applications for anticipatory bail.

Opposition parties refute the claim that all decisions that led to the scams,including purchase of medical equipment from fictitious firms,were taken by the health directors themselves,without the involvement of then health secretary B L Agrawal and then Health Minister Dr Krishnamurthy Bandhi.

Dr Bandhi,in his defence,says,All along my tenure as minister,I was continuously pressing for posting an IAS officer as Commissioner,Health Services,after realising that the health department was a citadel of corruption but my proposal was shot down by the Chief Secretary. After the scams surfaced,finally an IAS officer has been posted in Health services.

He told The Indian Express that it was he,who,as a minister,had set the ball rolling to expose the malaria scam much before the CBI came into picture. I smelt a rat in malaria medicine purchases and had sought removal of health director Dr Pramod Singh,arguing that the departments affairs would adversely affect the states image. In fact,I am instrumental in digging out Colour Doppler and other scams by ordering an inquiry,which is now culminating in legal action, he claimed.

Malaria medicine scam

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With malaria being rampant particularly in the tribal areas of Chhattisgarh,the World Bank had released to the state Rs 20 crore in different phases during 2004-05 for purchasing equipment for diagnosis and anti-malarial medicines.

Subsequently,the Health Ministry received a complaint stating that the state health authorities released payments on the basis of fake bills without actually procuring anti-malarial drugs for distribution in malaria-prone areas. After the complaint was found prima facie genuine,the Ministry handed over the probe to the CBI.

After conducting raids on medicine suppliers,the CBI registered a case on the charges of forgery,embezzlement and criminal conspiracy against health directors Dr Pramod Singh and Dr B K Sarva,retired health director Dr D K Sen and six others.

Colour Doppler scam

The scam surfaced when costly medical equipment such as Colour Doppler and ICCU multi-para monitors,which were in use at the government medical college hospital,stopped functioning within a year of their procurement. Preliminary investigation revealed that the health department had placed orders for supply of the medical equipment to a Chennai-based firm M/s Trivitorn by procuring them from Japanese manufacturers but subsequently it had come to notice that a fictitious firm with the same name,in association with a local firm Chhattisgarh Surgical,had supplied sub-standard equipment that too after procuring them from China.

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M/s Trivitorn directors then lodged a complaint with the police against Chhattisgarh Surgical and its proprietor. A year-long investigation exposed the nexus between the local medical equipment suppliers and senior officials and employees of the health department,leading to the arrest of its directors. Dr D K Sen secured anticipatory bail while Dr B K Sarva is now in judicial custody. Dr Pramod Singh is on the run.

Syringe scam

Police has registered a case against retired health director Dr D K Sen for cheating and corruption in purchase of syringes worth about Rs 1.5 crore in 2004-05. According to the police,the health officials had procured syringes on inflated rates,at almost double the price than that of the prevailing market rates. After Dr Sens retirement in 2006,auditors exposed the alleged irregularities,forcing the authorities to order a departmental inquiry. The health department has now filed an FIR in the case.