CBI To Probe Delhi’s Mohalla Clinics; Allegations Include ‘Fake Patients & Tests’

New Delhi: Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena has called for a CBI probe into alleged irregularities involving fake lab tests and ‘ghost patients’ at Delhi government-run Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics (AAMCs), Hindustan Times reported. The development comes on the heels of Saxena ordering a CBI probe into sub-standard drug samples collected from three government hospitals. The alleged irregularities were identified through investigations conducted by the state’s vigilance and health departments in 2023.

Earlier, in August 2023, an investigation by the state’s vigilance and health departments revealed that doctors at Mohalla Clinics were fraudulently marking attendance, with some being absent from clinics where unauthorized staff prescribed medicines.

According to another scrutiny, 24,399 referral papers held by private labs had invalid mobile phone numbers, which, the LG said, was pointing to potential evidence of fake patients. These labs conducted lab tests offered by the government for free to economically disadvantaged patients.

A statement from Saxena’s office said that the inquiry uncovered tens of thousands of fake pathology and radiology tests conducted on non-existent patients. These purportedly fake tests were referred to private labs, and reimbursed by the government.

“Tens of thousands of tests were recommended prima facie to ‘ghost patients’. Empirical data proving entry of fake mobile numbers/blank mobile number of fictitious patients, fake attendance of doctors, and fictitious data of patients establishes wide spread corruption, manipulation of documents, forgery of records with the sole intention to loot government exchequer and extend undue benefits private parties operating the AAMCs as well as dispensaries, polyclinics and hospitals of Delhi government,” a note by Saxena on the findings of the inquiry read.