'Scam' worth Rs 300 crore in Delhi health department: Kapil Mishra

NEW DELHI: In yet another allegation against AAP-led Delhi government, sacked AAP minister Kapil Mishra on Saturday alleged that a "scam worth Rs 300 crores in the procurement of "unwanted medicines" took place in Delhi health department and claimed that health minister Satyendra Jain was "involved" in the "scam". He alleged that 100 ambulances were purchased at Rs 23 lakh each while an automobile company was ready to supply the vehicles at only Rs 11 lakh each. He also accused Jain of involvement in transfer and posting of doctors in violations of standard rules.

TOI could not independently verify the documents Mishra presented before media in the press conference to back his claims. AAP laughed off the allegations and said the allegations "were nothing but an entertainment for the media."

"The genesis of the scam was in the decision of CM Arvind Kejriwal to curb the power of the hospitals to purchase medicines. It was done at Jain's behest. A Central Procurement Agency (CPA) was established to purchase medicines for all the hospitals. The director of CPA who did not enjoy any power to purchase medicines was given the authority to make purchase upto Rs 100 crore," Mishra said at a press conference at his residence.

Mishra alleged that "on the pretext of fighting dengue and chikunguniya, Jain ordered advance procurement of medicines for six months even though the hospitals did not need those medicines." The medicines were "dumped in three warehouses which lack facilities to safely store medicines".

The medicines were not shifted to hospitals even though director general health services asked the hospitals to do so because the hospitals did not need the medicines and the medicines expired in the warehouses.

"In an interview to a newspaper Jain claimed that he earmarked a budget of Rs 300 crore for advance purchase of medicines. Now Arvind Kejriwal is saying that the hospitals do not have medicines. This is a scam," Mishra alleged.

Mishra flagged "discrepancy in the prices of 100 ambulances purchased by the Delhi government." "The actual price of the one ambulance was Rs 11 lakh but the government bills showed that each ambulance was purchased at Rs. 23 lakh," he said after he presented the quotation of a company which was ready to sell the ambulance at Rs 11 lakh and document of the payment made to a company which supplied each ambulance at around Rs 23 lakh.

Mishra further said that Jain was also involved in transfer and posting of doctors in violation of the standard procedure. "Many junior doctors were promoted and appointed as medical superintendent superseding many seniors," he said.

Claiming that the condition of health services is in bad condition in Delhi, Mishra urged LG Anil Baijal to intervene to make things better.

Armed with the "evidence" Mishra will go to Anti-Corruption Bureau where he will lodge FIR against Jain and Kejriwal.
Health minister Satyendra Jain did not reply to TOI calls and SMS. Delhi government spokesperson Nagendra Sharma laughed off the allegations and said, "its entertainment." Deputy CM Manish Sisodia also laughed away the allegations.