THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Jamshedpur, April 6: In a significant revelation, Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy has accused the Jharkhand Health Department of deliberately concealing evidence and failing to act against government doctors and private hospitals implicated in the Ayushman Bharat scam. He claims that despite clear violations of medical guidelines, no punitive measures were taken — a move he says reflects an institutional attempt to shield the guilty.
Key Allegations and Background
Roy alleged that the Health Department ignored complaints that several government doctors were illegally collaborating with private hospitals listed under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. These doctors either directly treated patients at private institutions or allowed their names to be used for fraudulent insurance claims.
The alleged violations were initially flagged by Bhuvnesh Pratap Singh, then Executive Director of the Jharkhand State Arogya Society. In a letter (No. 474 dated 3 August 2022) addressed to the Director of Health Services, he requested a detailed inquiry into government doctors — both ophthalmologists and non-ophthalmologists — practising at Ayushman-listed private hospitals outside their official postings. He cited the government circular (No. 866(3) dated 15 July 2016), which restricts such practices.
Ignored Guidelines and Widespread Violations
The letter was followed up by another communication (No. 459 dated 25 July 2022), reiterating the private practice guidelines. As per the regulations, a government doctor may work in only one private hospital and offer specialist services in up to four institutions — strictly outside official working hours. However, the investigation uncovered widespread disregard for these rules.
Roy detailed several examples, including doctors stationed in one district but found practising privately in multiple hospitals across distant regions. A doctor posted in Bokaro was reportedly working in 12 private hospitals in the same district, far exceeding the permitted limit. Others were practising in areas such as Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, Godda, and Deoghar — far from their designated government hospitals.
Suppressed Investigation and Inaction
Despite findings from an internal probe confirming these violations, Roy alleged that the Health Department failed to initiate disciplinary action or seek clarifications from the doctors and hospitals involved. Furthermore, a list of implicated doctors submitted by the Ayushman Bharat office was reportedly ignored, and the investigation report by the Health Director was intentionally withheld.
Roy expressed shock at the extent of malpractice, noting that some doctors managed to perform thousands of surgeries in private hospitals while holding full-time government positions. He emphasised the need for transparency and accountability, stating that the department’s silence suggests complicity in protecting those who misused public healthcare schemes for personal gain.
Ayushman Bharat Scam
Notably, on April 4, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at 21 locations across Jharkhand in connection with alleged irregularities in the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The operation led to the seizure of ₹20 lakh in cash, numerous investment-related documents, and other materials pertinent to the suspected money laundering case.
The action followed a Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report exposing large-scale irregularities in the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The report alleged that hospitals in Jharkhand fabricated patient bills to claim government payments worth crores, with funds fraudulently withdrawn in the names of deceased patients.
