ED Raids 19 Locations in Ayushman Bharat Fake ID Cards Case Involving Top Himachal Figures

The Enforcement Directorate raided 19 locations tied to the generation of fake Ayushman Bharat ID cards, including premises of Congress MLA RS Bali and a close associate of CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. Raids spanned multiple states and districts, targeting numerous involved hospitals.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday launched a series of raids at 19 locations, including the properties of Himachal Pradesh Congress MLA RS Bali and a close aide of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The investigation is part of a probe into the creation of fraudulent Ayushman Bharat ID cards and related violations involving numerous hospitals, officials disclosed.

The sweep included sites in Delhi, Chandigarh, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh, marking a significant enforcement operation. In Himachal Pradesh alone, the agency conducted searches in five districts: Kangra, Una, Shimla, Mandi, and Kullu.

Among the raided premises were those belonging to RS Bali, who represents Nagrota and serves as the chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, as well as Rajesh Sharma of Shree Balaji Hospital in Kangra. According to officials, fake Ayushman Bharat AB-PMJAY cards have led to extensive billing frauds, inflicting significant financial losses on both the exchequer and the public, with hospitals like Bankey Bihari Hospital and Fortis Hospital implicated in the scheme.