Nashik: A case has been registered against the medical superintendent, a doctor, and a cashier of a charitable hospital in Panchavati, Nashik, after a local farmer accused them of demanding a bribe of ₹30,000 for his wife’s cancer treatment — despite her being eligible for free care under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Scheme.
The farmer alleged that although he possessed a yellow ration card qualifying his family for cashless treatment, hospital staff demanded money without providing receipts or valid explanations. He claimed to have paid ₹9,000 on April 3 and another ₹11,000 on April 7, totalling ₹20,000, but was later asked to pay ₹5,000 more during a follow-up visit to remove his wife’s stitches.
Instead of paying the additional amount, he approached the Panchavati police, who have now registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The investigation is being handled by DySP Swati Pawar from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Nashik. No arrests have been made so far.
The incident dates back to March 31, when the complainant admitted his wife for cancer surgery at the charitable trust-run hospital. He insisted that the hospital violated government norms by charging money from a beneficiary of a state-funded health scheme.
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In their defense, hospital general manager Sameer Tulzapurkar dismissed the complaint as “baseless and vindictive,” claiming that the hospital has a reputation for providing quality treatment for two decades with no prior corruption allegations. He pointed out the delay in filing the complaint — nearly two months after the surgery — as questionable.
The Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana provides cashless hospitalisation, surgeries, and treatments to eligible citizens holding yellow and orange ration cards in Maharashtra.
As the investigation proceeds, the case has drawn attention to alleged misuse of authority and raised questions over compliance with state healthcare schemes by charitable institutions.
