Days after a private security guard of District Hospital Kulgam was arrested on the charges of withdrawing Rs 33 lakhs from the official account of a senior officer, the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) department suspended three officials including the former Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Kulgam in connection with an embezzlement of Hospital Development Funds worth crores.
The officials, who have been placed under suspension are Dr. Afsana Banoo, the then Medical Superintendent, District Hospital, Kulgam, Mohammad Ashraf, the then Senior Assistant, District Hospital, Kulgam, Mohammad Shafi, Senior Assistant, District Hospital, Kulgam, Kashmir.
"Pending inquiry into the conduct relating to embezzlement of Hospital Development funds in District Hospital, Kulgam, the Officials are, hereby, placed under suspension with immediate effect," reads the order.
"It is further ordered that during the period of suspension, they shall remain attached in the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir and he shall submit their bio-metric attendance to the Health and Medical Education Department on a monthly basis," the order reads.
Two-member inquiry panel to submit the report within 15 days
A two-member committee has been constituted to enquire about the matter and submit a report within a period of 15 days.
"Sanction is, hereby, accorded to the constitution of a two-member inquiry committee to enquire into the embezzlement of hospital Development funds of District Hospital, Kulgam while taking into account, the preliminary enquiry as conducted by the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir as well as all other connected documents/evidence," reads a separate order.
The members of the committee as per order are Dr. Yash Pal Sharma, Director Coordination, New Government Medical Colleges, J&K, and Muzaffar Ahmad Rather, Chief Account Officer, Government Medical College, Anantnag.
"The inquiry committee shall submit its report along with explicit recommendations to the Health and Medical Education Department within a period of fifteen (15) days from the date of issuance of this order," the order reads.
Scandal exposed with arrest of a private security
Earlier on Friday a private security guard of District Hospital Kulgam was arrested on the charges of withdrawing Rs 33 lakhs from the official account of the Medical Superintendent of district hospital Kulgam.
Initial reports said that the security guard has fraudulently withdrawn Rs 33 lakhs from the official account of the Medical Superintendent of Kulgam Hospital.
An investigation by the police revealed that the accused security guard identified as Gowhar Ahmad Thokar, son of Abdul Rashid, a resident of Kulgam had frequently withdrawn the amount from the Medical Superintendent's account.
Sources said that it was only after questioning the arrested security guard, the scandal was exposed and higher-ups of the Health and Medical Department suspended three officers.
