ED attaches assets of over 3 crore in cheating case involving purchase of medicines, equipment

Patna (Bihar) [India], November 7 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached assets of over three crores under PMLA in a case of criminal misconduct and cheating involving former Medical Superintendent, Patna Medical College Om Prakash Choudhary and others.
An ED release said attached immovable assets included plots of land and flats in Patna, Ghaziabad, Pune and Bangalore, and movable assets included four-wheelers and balances in bank accounts.
The attachment was made under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) after an FIR was registered by Bihar's Special Vigilance Unit.
The investigation under the PMLA revealed that medicines, chemical reagent, machine equipment was purchased by officials of the Patna Medical College and Hospital, from 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 from local vendors and commission agents, which is against the prescribed guidelines.
According to the release, the investigation also revealed that in the same period, the then Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, and concerned faculty head of PMCH and others in connivance with the suppliers had purchased items at a higher rate and in much higher quantity than required which resulted in loss to the government exchequer.
"Investigations conducted so far resulted in the identification of the assets totalling to Rs 3.14 crores," the release said.