The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against six persons, including an assistant administrative officer of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar, over an alleged recruitment scam at the premier healthcare institution.
Of the six, five are relatives, four of whom had landed jobs at the AIIMS by using forged certificates and documents, The New Indian Express reports.
The central agency, which conducted a preliminary enquiry into the matter on July 31, also carried out raids on Friday.
Initial investigation revealed that the recruitment scam involved Sudhir Kumar Pradhan, the assistant administrative officer in charge of the recruitment cell at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. He was allegedly aware of the wrongdoings related to the recruitment of the four persons between July 2023 and June 2024.
According to the FIR, Sruti Sagar Kar, an employee of Bombay Intelligence Securities (India) Limited, allegedly secured permanent jobs for his family members and relatives at AIIMS with the help of Pradhan, reports The New Indian Express.
Kar secured jobs for his wife, brother and two relatives after a recruitment notice for Group B and C posts was issued by AIIMS Bhubaneswar on July 1, 2023.
During preliminary enquiry, it was ascertained that Sruti in connivance with Pradhan, secured jobs for his wife Rajashree, brother Sai Sagar, and relatives Sangram Mishra and Sambit Mishra.
Sruti had reportedly arranged forged and fabricated educational certificates for the four. The certificates were issued by an institute, Shree College of Paramedical Sciences in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, which is affiliated to the Allied Healthcare Council of India. According to The New Indian Express, the investigation found out that no such college or university existed as per the address provided on its website, www.scpsindia.com.
Besides, the work experience certificates issued by Bombay Intelligence Securities mentioning that the four job applicants worked with BRD Medical College in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur were also found to be forged, as reported by The New Indian Express.
As the investigation progressed, CBI ascertained Pradhan’s involvement in the scam since the letters issued by AIIMS Bhubaneswar to Shree College of Paramedical Science for verification of certificates of the four accused returned undelivered. However, Sudhir did not inform the authorities about it and allowed the four to continue with their jobs, The New Indian Express reports.
While Rajashree and Sangram were appointed as sanitary inspectors, Sagar and Sambit were hired as medical record technicians.
Earlier, CBI conducted raids at AIIMS, a few places in the capital city and Jagatsinghpur as part of its investigation.
