Ahmedabad: In a major crackdown, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch uncovered a multi-crore Ayushman Bharat card fraud linked to Khyati Hospital, resulting in the arrest of eight individuals. Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP) Sharad Singhal revealed shocking details of the scheme, centered around Mehul Patel, the operator of the hospital’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) portal.
When patients without PMJAY cards sought treatment at Khyati Hospital, they were directed to Chirag Rajput and Kartik Patel, who then connected with a third individual, Nimish. Kartik Patel, who holds a 51% stake in the hospital, played a pivotal role.
For Rs 1,500, Nimish created fake PMJAY cards and sent them to Mehul Patel. Armed with these counterfeit cards, the hospital performed surgeries and claimed funds under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, JCP Singhal disclosed.
Further investigation revealed the hospital’s strategy to expand the scam by hosting camps where patients without PMJAY cards were enticed with the opportunity to obtain one on-site.
“Through our sources, we learned that Khyati Hospital facilitated PMJAY cards during their camps,” Singhal explained. “Mehul Patel admitted that patients without cards were directed to Chirag or Kartik Patel, who would then reach out to Nimish. After paying Rs 1,500 for the card, surgeries were conducted, and the claims were processed under the scheme.”
The meticulous operation has not only exposed the loopholes in the system but also raised alarms about fraudulent exploitation of government healthcare initiatives. The Crime Branch continues its investigation, aiming to dismantle the network behind this elaborate fraud.
