Pune: Scam In Bartakke Hospital During COVID-19 Period, FIR Registered Against PMC Health Chief and Medical Officers
Warje, 24th November 2023: A case has been filed against the then Health Chief of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Dr Ashish Bharti, along with Medical Officers Dr Aruna Suryakant Tarde and Dr Rishikesh Hanumant Gardi.
The complaint, lodged by Municipal Health Officer Satish Baburao Kolusare, accuses the trio of orchestrating a scam during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The alleged scam took place at late Arvind Bartakke Hospital in Warje, and it has sent ripples through the health department. The complaint suggests that the accused colluded to divert essential COVID-19 testing materials, including testing kits, sanitizers, and medicines, from the late Arvind Bartakke Hospital. These materials were intended for COVID testing but were allegedly misappropriated for personal gain.
According to the police investigation, the accused engaged in various manipulations of government documents, creating fake records to appear legitimate. These fraudulent documents were then submitted to both the Maharashtra Government and the Pune Municipal Corporation. False entries were made in the register of individuals undergoing COVID tests, misleading authorities for financial benefit.
The complaint alleges that the accused sold the testing kits to private laboratories and individuals, resulting in the unlawful transfer of approximately 80 to 90 lakh rupees. The scam involved a complex web of deceit, with senior officials purportedly profiting from the dire circumstances of the pandemic.
Senior Police Inspector Jaitapurkar is conducting the investigation into this scam.
