Ludhiana: Won’t tolerate irregularity, says SMO to civil hospital staff
An official spokesperson of the state VB said the accused was arrested based on a complaint lodged by Vijay Kumar, a resident of Jassal Colony, Ludhiana
A day after the Vigilance Bureau caught an assistant at the Civil Hospital “red-handed while taking bribe” to issue a medico-legal report (MLR), hospital’s senior medical officer has issued a warning to the emergency staff against charging any amount above the fees prescribed. SMO Dr Harpreet Singh said the employee, who was caught by the Vigilance Bureau, was not a permanent staff member and he was removed immediately.
In a letter addressed to emergency medical officer and emergency staff, the SMO informed, “Any patient coming for treatment and persons coming to get medico-legal report (MLR) will have to pay the government fee. No additional money should be taken. If anyone demands or takes money other than the prescribed fees, they will be held responsible.” The letter mentioned that staff were informed about these instructions earlier as well.
“If anyone asks for bribes, a letter will be written to higher authorities to take appropriate disciplinary action against that employee/officer. It should be ensured that these orders are strictly followed. This should be considered very important,” the letter emphasised.
On Wednesday, the Vigilance Bureau had said that it apprehended Satinder Kumar, assistant in emergency ward, Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, red-handed while he was “accepting a bribe of ₹7,000”.
An official spokesperson of the state VB said the accused was arrested based on a complaint lodged by Vijay Kumar, a resident of Jassal Colony, Ludhiana. He further informed that the complainant has approached the VB alleging that Satinder demanded a bribe of ₹10,000 for issuing a receipt regarding medico-legal report and took ₹3,000 initially.
The spokesperson added that after a preliminary enquiry on this complaint a VB team from Economic Offences Wing, Ludhiana range laid a trap during which the accused was arrested while taking the remaining amount in the presence of two official witnesses.
