Alleging red tapism and gross financial irregularities in the purchase of all surgical, medical and sanitation equipment in the country’s top medical institute AIIMS, a Delhi-based social organisation filed a police complaint at South Delhi’s Hauz Khas Police station on Saturday.
Sources in the AIIMS said the complaint has been filed on the basis of internal RTI filed by an AIIMS official. Under the umbrella of Janhit Abhiyan, a social organisation has sought the probe in the matter of gross corruption which is happening in the premier medical institute.
It has filed the complaint against the AIIMS director MC Misra, VK Bansal, professor in the surgery department, Manoj Jhalani, CVO and two firms to whom orders for supply of various items were given during the period 2006-2013.
In the police complaint, the organisation has alleged that a huge amount is being siphoned off from AIIMS by fraudulent means and the accused persons are committing criminal breach of trust and causing a loss to the Government and benefitting themselves.
Raj Narayan, the convener of Janhit Abhiyaan, has alleged that during the period from 2006 to 2013, MC Misra and VK Bansal used to split the supply orders below Rs2 lakhs between the two firms HS Enterprises and Overseas Associates, so that there is no rate inquiry of the items offered for sale.
“The two firms used to quote lowest price amongst the other companies. The items purchased through these firms were of continuous/recurrent nature and instead of making bulk purchases through open tender, the accused deliberated divided supply orders for few purchases to avoid scrutiny of higher authorities, which is done in open tender cases,” said Narayan.
According to the complaint, the irregularities were detected by the then CVO of the institute in February, 2014 and later the complaints were sent to CBI and CVC. “The equipment worth Rs67 lakhs got expired without even being used.”
Sources in the AIIMS said, “Earlier, this year, a PIl filed at High Court highlights a record number of corruption cases at AIIMS. Till now, there is no forward movement in the investigation. Not a single new case has been given to CBI and CVC.”
Even, the Standing Committee of Parliament on Health and family Welfare had stated on August 11 that there are cases including disproportionate asset, alleged financial irregularities in purchase of surgical gloves and medicines, construction of engineering works without approval of statutory bodies, alleged tempering with selection lists of operation theatre assistants, irregularities in appointments if officials under sports quota, massive irregular payments to contractors, irregularities in awarding the work of development of ward and allied spaces for Department of Pulmonary Medicine, purchase of uniforms for employees, etc
The committee had recommended the Ministry to play a proactive role in ensuring expeditious investigation into all the corruption cases at AIIMS and had sought an up-to-date status note within three months (from the date of presentation of this report).