CBI’s Anti-Corruption Bureau Traps Medical Officer in Murthal
Panipat/Murthal:
A medical officer was caught red-handed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹2.5 lakh for referring patients to a private hospital. The arrest was made at a dhaba in Murthal, where the cash was reportedly exchanged for patient referrals.
Posted at ECHS Polyclinic
The accused was serving as a medical officer at a polyclinic under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) in Sewah, Panipat. Investigators alleged that he routinely referred patients from the government-run facility to a particular private hospital in return for illegal payments.
Bribe Linked to Patient Referrals
According to the probe agency, the bribe amount was directly linked to patient referrals. The medical officer allegedly misused his official position to influence patients and divert them to a private healthcare facility for personal gain.
Produced Before Court
Following the arrest, the accused was produced before a court in Panchkula on Saturday. The court remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody to allow further investigation into the alleged corruption.
Complaint Filed by Private Hospital Director
As reported by The Tribune, the case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Squadron Leader (retd) Dr Sudeep Sangwan, Director of Ayushmanbhava Hospital. In his complaint to the ACB, CBI Chandigarh, he alleged that the medical officer had been demanding ₹3.5 lakh per month in exchange for consistently referring patients to his hospital.
CBI Lays Trap at Dhaba
Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and caught the accused while allegedly accepting ₹2.5 lakh at the Murthal dhaba. The agency stated that the arrest was made after verification of the complaint and collection of preliminary evidence.
Similar Case Reported Earlier
In a related development, a similar bribery case was earlier reported involving a senior doctor at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. The doctor was detained by the Odisha Vigilance team after officials recovered ₹2.63 lakh in unaccounted cash from his possession.
Procurement Irregularities Under Scanner
According to vigilance officials, the Cuttack case involved alleged bribes collected from bidders competing to supply medical instruments to the hepatology department. The doctor was intercepted while travelling on a two-wheeler near Kathagolasahi Medical Road, where the cash was seized, and investigations into procurement irregularities are ongoing.
