3 doctors booked for siphoning off Rs 4.75 lakh from CM's Medical Assistance Fund; EOW to probe

Thane: Three doctors have been booked for allegedly obtaining Rs 4.75 lakh from the Chief Minister's Medical Assistance Fund by forging documents and patient records at a hospital in Maharashtra's Thane district, officials said on Saturday. In a statement in the evening, the CM's office called the alleged crime deeply disturbing, saying the fund is meant to support the treatment of underprivileged patients.

Considering the seriousness of the matter, the Economic Offences Wing has taken over the probe, it said.

The case was registered on Thursday under sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 471 (use of forged documents as genuine) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code for the fraud that took place between May and July 2023, an official from the Khadakpada police station said.

The CM's office said the accused, Dr Anudurg Dhone (45), Dr Pradeep Bapu Patil (41) and Dr Ishwar Pawar, allegedly fabricated hospital admission and treatment records for 13 non-existent patients at Ganpati Multi-Speciality Hospital in Ambivili, Mohane.

Fake documents, including records of surgeries and treatment, were submitted to claim Rs 4.75 lakh from the CM's Medical Assistance Fund, the release said.

"The accused created an elaborate web of forged medical documents to show as if real patients were treated, and even manufactured operation and treatment records," said a police official.

The fraud came to light on July 11, 2023, when irregularities were noticed in two major cases in which Rs 3.7 lakh was sanctioned for the treatment of "Arvind Solkhi" for a brain ailment and Rs 3.1 lakh for "Bhagwan Bhadane" for similar treatment, the CM's Office said.

However, inquiries showed that the patients were admitted to hospitals different from those mentioned in their applications.

When authorities visited Ganpati hospital, where Bhadane was admitted, they found it in a very poor condition. Dr Dhone of the hospital, when asked to present documentation, fled under the pretext of picking up his child from school, said the release by CM's Office.

"Subsequent inquiries revealed that Dr Dhone, when summoned to the Chief Minister's Secretariat on July 17, 2023, failed to appear. In his statement, he implicated Dr Pawar and Dr Patil as facilitators who helped him get the hospital listed on the government panel.

"Alarmingly, the contact details listed in the applications were traced back to Pawar and Patil - not the patients or their families," said the release.

Rameshwar Naik, head of the CM Relief Fund Cell, said there will be zero tolerance for fraudsters exploiting government welfare schemes. "Strictest possible action will be taken against the guilty," Naik said.