Former Pathankot SMO gets 3-yr jail

The court of district and sessions judge BS Sandhu has sentenced a former senior medical officer of the Pathankot civil hospital, Dr Achla Bhatia, to three year jail in connection with a case pertaining to anomalies in the purchase of medicines.

The court of district and sessions judge BS Sandhu has sentenced a former senior medical officer of the Pathankot civil hospital, Dr Achla Bhatia, to three year jail in connection with a case pertaining to anomalies in the purchase of medicines.

A chemist, Sanjeev Kumar, got two years’ jail.

After receiving a complaint, the vigilance bureau had registered a case against the SMO for not following norms, while the chemist was found to be providing fraudulent bills.

Vigilance bureau DSP Naresh Thakur told HT that following a complaint in 2013, a case was registered against SMO Dr Achla Bhatia. During the investigations, names of four people, including a pharmacist, also cropped, but they pleaded that they were just maintaining the record.

He said it was found that medicines were purchased from the shop of a particular chemist most of the times, though a proper tendering process should have been followed.

HT Image