Himachal Pradesh MLA, Hospitals Raided in Major Ayushman Bharat Fraud Probe

The Enforcement Directorate raided premises linked to Himachal Pradesh Congress MLA R S Bali and several private hospitals in a probe related to the Ayushman Bharat scheme fraud. Over 19 locations were searched, uncovering alleged fake cards and fraudulent claims under the scheme, leading to substantial financial losses.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted extensive raids on Wednesday targeting Himachal Pradesh Congress MLA R S Bali and several private hospitals as part of a money laundering investigation connected to alleged fraud under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, officials reported.

The operation spanned across 19 locations in the districts of Shimla, Kangra, Una, Mandi, and Kullu, as well as sites in Delhi, Chandigarh, and Punjab. It included searches at Bali's premises, who represents the Nagrota assembly seat and is linked to Fortis Hospital in Kangra through his company Himachal Healthcare Pvt Ltd., and at Balaji Hospital with its promoter Rajesh Sharma, a known associate of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

The investigation, triggered by a state vigilance FIR from January 2023, revealed the circulation of fake Ayushman Bharat cards, leading to fraudulent medical claims amounting to an estimated Rs 25 crore. The ED reported that 8,937 Ayushman Bharat golden cards were invalidated due to violations of the scheme. Charges against the implicated hospitals from making fake treatment claims to blocking packages dishonestly have emerged, leading to their de-empanelment from the scheme.

(With inputs from agencies.)