The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting extensive searches across multiple locations in Ranchi and other states as part of an investigation into alleged financial irregularities in the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
According to sources, ED teams are raiding 21 locations in Jharkhand, including key Ranchi localities such as Lalpur, Morhabadi, PP Compound, Ashok Nagar, and Chiraundi. The agency is also carrying out searches in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Delhi, intensifying its probe into fraudulent claims made under the central government’s flagship healthcare scheme.
ALSO READ: Now Open: Pan-India Registration for Fraud Investigators!
The investigation focuses on hospitals, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical firms suspected of siphoning off funds by falsely claiming payments for services never rendered. The alleged fraud revolves around hospitals receiving government funds under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) without actually providing free treatment to beneficiaries.
This marks the first major enforcement action in Ranchi related to the scam this year. Following preliminary findings of irregularities, the ED had sought information from the Jharkhand Health Department and the State Health Society regarding actions taken against accused entities. In response, officials shared details of FIRs already lodged against several hospitals.
Empanelment for Speakers, Trainers, and Cyber Security Experts Opens at Future Crime Research Foundation
The Ayushman Bharat scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 from Ranchi, aims to provide free medical treatment to economically weaker sections of society. However, reports of financial misconduct and fraudulent transactions have prompted a multi-state crackdown.
With the ED tightening its grip on suspects involved in the misuse of public funds, further action is expected in the coming days. Officials have hinted that more names could emerge as the probe deepens, exposing a larger network of corruption within the healthcare sector.