Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials on Thursday filed chargesheet in a case of alleged kickbacks relating to purchase of equipment at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).
In 2013, the State Government had ordered an inquiry by the ACB into the allegations of bribery in purchasing equipment like operation theatre tables, LED lights and ventilators involving crores of rupees. A three-member committee comprising doctors of the hospital was constituted to present a report on the matter.
Based on the evidence gathered during the probe, a case of criminal misconduct was registered in 2015 against Dharma Rakshak, D. Mukunda Reddy and V. Sridhar, former NIMS director, medical superintendent and finance controller, respectively.
As the probe commenced, the director had resigned while the superintendent retired. The finance controller was suspended during the probe and continues to be under suspension. As per the rules, a tender should be called. After issuing the tender notification, they allegedly modified it to ensure authorised dealers too participate in the bidding.
ACB officials stated in the chargesheet that a private person, Surya Prakash Reddy, managing partner of Global Life Services and Vikas Khannna, South Asia manager of a German company supplying equipment got the order. Actually, the technical evaluation committee of the hospital should see the standards of the equipment and finalise the bids. But the ACB officials found that the tenders were granted to the private players without the committee’s verification. “Investigation revealed that purchase of some equipment resulted in loss of Rs. 3.14 crore to the exchequer,” the officials said.
