Cops accused of being biased

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 21

RTI activist and local resident Gurmeet Singh Bablu termed the police probe into the ex-servicemen contributory health scheme (ECHS) embezzlement scam as biased and unfair and sought a high-level probe from a senior police official or the Bureau of Investigations.

At present, ADCP Sandeep Malik was holding investigations in the scam, in which 24 persons including doctors and ex-servicemen were booked for allegedly embezzling government funds in connivance with private hospitals by forging medical bills.

The case was registered following a complaint by Brig MD Upadhyay, Station Commander (Station Headquarters), Amritsar Cantonment. He had claimed during an internal investigation that the accused, including doctors and several ex-servicemen, were found guilty of connivance and misappropriating government funds. The armed forces submitted a report to the police and 24 persons, including 14 doctors, were booked for fraud.

The Army authorities found that several veterans misled the ECHS cardholders to collect cards and later connived with hospital managements to fabricate record to usurp funds from the Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare. The ex-serviceman lured ECHS cardholders by saying the Centre was providing a relief fund in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic and asked for their cards. Later, they made fraudulent admissions in hospitals during the lockdown and claimed hefty medical bills from the department. The police had arrested three persons in the case later.

Gurmeet Singh Bablu, president Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Youth Front, shot a letter to CM Punjab with copies to DGP Punjab and DGP Bureau of Investigations, while alleging that the police discharged various doctors and hospitals from the FIR without involving the Amry authorities, who had lodged a complaint with the local police in this connection. He said the city police acted in a biased manner in investigating the case and gave a clean chit to those booked.

He urged the CM and DGPs to set aside this probe and mark a high-level probe from a senior police official or Bureau of Investigations.