Pune: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has initiated a departmental inquiry into alleged financial irregularities at Jijamata Hospital, following claims that a clerk delayed depositing Rs. 18.66 lakhs in treatment fees into the PCMC treasury. The delay in depositing the funds has raised concerns of potential financial mismanagement and embezzlement.
The inquiry, which began on Monday, uncovered these irregularities and extended to bank officials, who were found to have stamped receipts for the delayed deposits. This development has sparked serious concerns regarding financial discipline at the hospital and the potential misuse of public funds.
Deputy Commissioner of PCMC, Vitthal Joshi, confirmed the initiation of the preliminary inquiry, stating that the clerk, identified as Gosavi, appeared guilty of negligence. He added that the investigation would also look into whether other senior staff members were involved in the financial misconduct. A special committee has been formed to probe the issue and its findings.
Joshi said, “Prima facie, the clerk Gosavi seems guilty of negligence. The committee is also investigating the possibility of other senior staff being involved in this.”
In related news, a similar case of financial misconduct occurred at a private hospital in Chennai, where a 24-year-old female cashier was arrested for allegedly embezzling Rs. 52 lakh from the institution. The situation was uncovered when patients reported discrepancies in the hospital’s payment records, leading to an investigation.
