Minister Orders FIR After Complaint of Double Charging; Scheme Misuse Under Fresh Scrutiny
Varanasi: In a decisive move against alleged irregularities under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, Uttar Pradesh’s Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna on Saturday ordered the immediate sealing of an unregistered hospital in Varanasi and directed that an FIR be lodged against its operator.
The action followed a public grievance raised during a hearing at the Prime Minister’s parliamentary constituency office in Jawahar Nagar, where Minister Khanna was present to oversee International Yoga Day events.
The complaint, filed by local resident Surendra Banwasi, accused Asha Hospital, located in the Nayepur area under Baragaon police station, of claiming reimbursement under Ayushman Bharat for services provided to his father while also charging money separately. Although the hospital reportedly refunded the money, Banwasi alleged fraudulent intent.
Taking swift action, Minister Khanna instructed the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and local officials to investigate and ensure strict compliance with medical and legal norms.
CMO Dr. Sandeep Choudhary confirmed that medical officer Dr. Sher Muhammad was appointed for the inquiry. The investigation revealed that Asha Hospital was operating without registration, a serious violation of medical norms.
“The in-charge minister took the complaint seriously and instructed for strict action without delay. The hospital was found unregistered, and action was taken on the same day,”
Dr. Choudhary told The Times of India.
The hospital was subsequently sealed by police and health officials on the same day, and legal proceedings were initiated.
This incident has once again highlighted the growing misuse of the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), which is intended to offer cashless healthcare services to underprivileged citizens.
Earlier this year, Medical Dialogues reported a massive Rs 10 crore scam under Ayushman Bharat and Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana, involving multiple private hospitals across Uttar Pradesh. An FIR was filed in Hazratganj, Lucknow, after an audit flagged over 6000 fake claims.
Authorities are now being urged to tighten verification and monitoring mechanisms to prevent further exploitation of the government’s flagship health scheme.
