Chandigarh: The ongoing multi-crore fraud involving the Ayushman Bharat cashless treatment scheme at Chandigarh PGI has now extended to the Himcare scheme, prompting the arrest of Kapil, a data operator working at the Himcare counter in Nehru Hospital.
Kapil is the first insider from PGI to be arrested in connection with this growing scam.
The fraud was detected after the arrest of Balram, who was found to be misusing Ayushman Bharat benefits by illegally withdrawing medicines and surgical items. The case was then handed over to the Crime Branch for a more thorough investigation. During interrogation, Balram implicated Kapil in the scam, leading to his arrest.
The police are now delving deeper into the involvement of both Kapil and Balram to determine if their fraudulent activities were limited to the Ayushman Bharat scheme or if they also exploited the Himcare scheme, which provides health benefits to residents of Himachal Pradesh. If fraud within Himcare is confirmed, it could lead to significant policy reforms regarding the scheme’s operations in Himachal Pradesh.
The Crime Branch is actively investigating the scale of the fraud, the total amount embezzled, and the role played by Kapil in facilitating the scam with Balram. As the investigation progresses, more arrests are expected as authorities work to uncover the full extent of the healthcare fraud network operating within the PGI system.
