CBI arrests 9 for bribery racket in Delhi’s RML hospital

CBI arrests 9, including doctors, at RML Hospital in Delhi for bribery from patients and suppliers. Second scandal at a top govt hospital in the city.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) unearthed a bribery racket at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in Delhi, and arrested nine people, including doctors and other employees of the government hospital, for collecting bribes from patients and medical equipment suppliers, people familiar with the development said on Wednesday.

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The agency filed a first information report (FIR) on Tuesday in the matter, naming a professor and an assistant professor of the cardiology department of RML, a senior technical in-charge, a nurse, two clerks, several private medical equipment supplier companies, and unknown government servants.

“Information was received through a reliable source that several doctors and the employees of Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, were indulging in corrupt practices and collecting bribes from patients either directly or indirectly through medical/supplier representatives of the companies supplying different equipment required for diagnosis and treatment of various patients,” said the CBI FIR, seen by HT.

This is the second such bribery scandal unearthed at a top government hospital in Delhi. In March last year, CBI arrested a neurosurgeon of Safdarjung Hospital, Dr Manish Rawat, along with his four accomplices for allegedly forcing patients to buy surgical equipment from a particular establishment at exorbitant prices.

The case is at the stage of scrutiny of documents. Once the scrutiny of documents is over, the arguments on framing of charges will begin. Rawat is currently out on interim bail till May 9.

Among those named as accused by CBI in its RML bribery case are Dr Parvathgouda (assistant professor, cardiology department), Dr Ajay Raj (professor in cardiology), Rajnish Kumar (senior technical in-charge, Cath Lab at RML), Shalu Shama (nurse), Bhuwal Jaiswal and Sanjay Kumar Gupta (both clerks), and five private individuals who represented four medical equipment companies.

The doctors, RML staff, and private individuals have been charged with criminal conspiracy and under the prevention of corruption act.

HT reached out to RML Hospital, but officials there did not comment on the matter.

The agency has listed alleged instances of Dr Parvathgouda and Dr Ajay Raj demanding and accepting bribes from private suppliers — Naresh Nagpal, Abrar Ahmed, Akarshan Gulati, Monika Sinha, and Bharat Singh Dalal — for either allowing the use of medical equipment supplied by them or for promoting their equipment, according to the FIR.