CHANDIGARH, March 18: The Chandigarh crime branch arrested a data entry operator at PGIMER’s Himcare counter, marking the first insider nabbed in the ongoing Ayushman Bharat scheme fraud investigation. Identified as Kapil, the accused was arrested on Monday for allegedly manipulating records to facilitate fraudulent withdrawals, police said.
Kapil’s role emerged during the interrogation of Balram, another accused arrested earlier for illegally obtaining medicines and surgical supplies. “Balram named Kapil as his accomplice, leading to his arrest,” officials said.
The probe began after PGIMER security caught 25-year-old Raman from Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, on February 18 for attempting to fraudulently procure ₹60,000 worth of medicines from the AMRIT pharmacy using fake stamps. Police recovered an indent book from the urology department and eight counterfeit stamps used to validate fake prescriptions.
Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, eligible families receive free treatment and medicines worth up to ₹5 lakh annually. However, medicines costing over ₹2,000 require a prescription verified with stamps from a doctor, nursing officer, Ayushman counter, and dispensary—a process the accused allegedly exploited.
According to investigators, the scam has so far revealed fraudulent transactions amounting to ₹5 crore.
