ACB/EOW nabs three persons in Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Limited scam

The Chhattisgarh Anti Corruption BureauEconomic Offence Wing ACBEOW has arrested three persons for alleged irregularities in purchase of medical equipment and reagent chemicals in 2023 that caused a loss of Rs 550 crore to the state exchequer.An ACBEOW statement issued on Monday said Abhishek Kaushal, Director, Recorders and Medicare System Panchkula, Haryana, Rakesh Jain, Proprietor, Shri Sharda Industries Raipur and Prince Jain, Liaison Officer, Recorders and Medicare System Panchkula, Haryana were nabbed on Sunday.Prince Jain is the brother-in-law of Director of Mokshit Corporation Durg, Shashank Chopda who was held in January last year.

The Chhattisgarh Anti Corruption Bureau/Economic Offence Wing (ACB/EOW) has arrested three persons for alleged irregularities in purchase of medical equipment and reagent chemicals in 2023 that caused a loss of Rs 550 crore to the state exchequer.

An ACB/EOW statement issued on Monday said Abhishek Kaushal, Director, Recorders and Medicare System (Panchkula, Haryana), Rakesh Jain, Proprietor, Shri Sharda Industries (Raipur) and Prince Jain, Liaison Officer, Recorders and Medicare System (Panchkula, Haryana) were nabbed on Sunday.

''Prince Jain is the brother-in-law of Director of Mokshit Corporation (Durg), Shashank Chopda (who was held in January last year). The three were arrested under sections 409, 120 (B) of IPC and sections 13 (1) (a), 13 (2), 7 (c) of Prevention of Corruption Act. The ACB/EWO has been granted their custodial remand till January 27,'' it said.

On January 22 last year, the ACB/EOW lodged a case against officials of Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Limited (CGMSCL) and Directorate of Health Services department as well as four firms, namely Mokshit Corporation, CB Corporation (Durg), Recorders and and Shri Sharda Industries (Raipur), and others for causing losses to the state exchequer, it said.

The tender for medical equipment and reagents to be procured under 'Hamar Lab' scheme for providing free diagnostic tests to the general public in district hospitals, First Referral Units (FRUs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), Primary Health Centers (PHCs), and Sub-Health Centers (SHCs) was awarded to Mokshit Corporation through pooled tendering, the ACB/EOW statement said.

''The ACB/EOW investigation revealed that Recorders & Medicare Systems Pvt Ltd and Shri Sharda Industries assisted Mokshit Corporation by participating in the tender process using forged documents. The probe also revealed some firms colluded and formed a cartel to influence the tender process,'' it said.

Only these three firms were shortlisted in the tender, and the product, pack size, reagents, and consumables details in the tenders submitted by all three eligible firms were filled in a similar pattern.

''Even the products that were not explicitly mentioned in the tender document were listed identically by all three firms. The rates were also quoted in a similar pattern, with the lowest rate quoted by Mokshit Corporation, followed by Recorders and Medicare System and Shri Sharda Industries,'' it said.

Consequently, Mokshit Corporation received undue payments by supplying reagents and consumables to blood banks at prices up to three times higher than the MRP, thereby causing financial loss of approximately Rs 550 crore to the government, the statement added.

Shashank Chopda and five government officials were nabbed in the case in January and March last year. A chargesheet was filed by ACB/EOW before the special court in April, 2025.

In July last year, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had seized assets worth more than Rs 40 crore after a raid at 20 premises across Chhattisgarh, including those linked to Chopda and kin.

The ED initiated investigation on the basis of an FIR lodged by the ACB/EOW.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)