CBI books AIIMS-Bhubaneswar officer, 5 others for corruption in recruitment

The CBI has booked an officer of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar and five others for alleged corruption in the recruitment to Group-B and Group-C posts using forged documents, officials said on Saturday.

The agency acted on the findings of its preliminary inquiry registered by it in March that prima facie showed a case of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, and bribery.

Assistant Administrative Officer of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar’s recruitment cell Sudhir Kumar Pradhan, along with five others—Rajashree Panda, Sangram Mishra, Sai Sagar Kar, Shri Sambit Mishra, and Sruti Sagar Kar—have been booked by the CBI in connection with the case, officials said.

The CBI has alleged that Sruti Sagar Kar, an employee of Bombay Intelligence Security (India) Limited (BIS), had conspired to secure permanent employment for his relatives and family members at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. The recruitment process was compromised using forged educational and work experience certificates for posts advertised on July 1, 2023.

It is alleged that Panda (Sruti Sagar Kar’s wife), Sangram Mishra, Sai Sagar Kar and Sambit Mishra had secured the jobs on the basis of forged educational documents issued by Shree College of Paramedical Sciences, Ghaziabad.

“Further, no such college or university infrastructure i.e the college and Allied Healthcare Council of India to which the college is affiliated, was found to exist at the addresses mentioned on their website,” the FIR has alleged.

The CBI also detected irregularities regarding work experience. Certificates showing their service at B.R.D. Medical College in Gorakhpur, in roles like sanitary inspector and medical record technician, were found to be fake.

The certificates were fabricated and allegedly arranged by Sruti Sagar Kar in conspiracy with the applicants and others, officials said.

The preliminary inquiry showed that Pradhan played a pivotal role in the conspiracy as he did not bring to the notice of higher authorities that the verification letter sent to the Ghaziabad institute had returned undelivered, allowing the four candidates to continue with their jobs.