AIIMS fake certificate rot runs deep

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences claims its staff is not involved with fake medical certificates used by criminals to get parole or by people to get funds, reports Jaya Shroff Bhalla.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) claims its staff is not involved with fake medical certificates used by criminals to get parole or by people to get funds.

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However, the arrest of lower division clerk Arjun Singh from the department of dermatology for producing counterfeit certificates has left the administration red-faced.

South Delhi police had found fake medical certificates of drug lord Sharafat Sheikh from the Honda Accord in the Green Park encounter, when six gangsters were held. This lead to arrest of the clerk.

In December, a fake medical application for the Prime Minister’s Fund was returned to AIIMS. On verification, AIIMS found signatures of the doctors and the final consent signature of the medical superintendent had been forged.

AIIMS medical superintendent Dr DK Sharma confirmed receiving a complaint from the Prime Minister’s Office. “I am not authorised to give details as the matter is a criminal offence and the police are investigating,” he said.

AIIMS authorities found no patient by the name of S. Khanam, 22, registered at B.R. Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, the cancer wing of AIIMS. Even the estimate certificate provided by the “patient” was doctored.

According to the police, AIIMS officials are hand in glove with gangsters in providing them fake medical certificates.

When Sharma was asked about the veracity of claims made by the police, he refused to comment saying the matter was under scrutiny.

“Anyway, these are two separate matters and cannot be connected,” he added.