PCMC’s Akurdi, Bhosari hospitals siphon off lakhs of rupees through ‘carbon copy’ trick, probe launched

The scam was first noticed by senior officials at the H B P Prabhakar Malharrao Kute Memorial Hospital in Akurdi.

The medical department of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has launched an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of hospital bills to the tune of lakhs of rupees by employees at its Akurdi and Bhosari hospitals.

“It has come to light that bills were manipulated at the Akurdi hospital.

After we received the information regarding the alleged misappropriation of the bill amounts, the medical department inspected all hospitals and found similar irregularities at the Bhosari hospital.

An inquiry has been initiated,” said Dr Laxman Gofane, Chief Medical Health Officer.

The final report will be submitted to the General Administration Department, following which strict action will be taken, Dr Gofane said.

According to officials, some employees at both hospitals siphoned off lakhs of rupees by recording one amount on the original bill and a different, lower amount on the carbon copy.

”Through these small, daily manipulations across numerous patients, misappropriation of bill amounting to ₹9 lakh has come to light at Akurdi hospital.

After the hospital head flagged this to the Medical Department, an audit of all municipal hospitals was ordered,” said a PCMC officer.

After the medical department ordered the audit, a similar pattern of fraud was discovered at the New Bhosari Hospital as well.

Officials said even at Bhosari hospital, the anomaly amounted to lakhs of rupees, though the final figure will only be clear after a full review of the billing registers
Civic activists said that PCMC has failed to keep a watch on the functioning of its hospitals.

”This is not the first time such a thing has happened.

Earlier too
at the Jijamata Hospital in Pimpri, a clerk and a medical officer were involved in a major scam to the tune of Rs 9 lakh,” said activist Lahoo Landge.

Activist Deepak Pardeshi alleged that PCMC does not have a robust financial system as is clear from the recurring frauds.

“Even clerks can siphon off money right under PCMC’s nose speaks of the system in place,” Pardeshi said.