Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Scam: Officials and Businessmen Defraud Government of ₹411 Crore; EOW Intensifies Investigation
Raipur: A massive financial scam has been uncovered in the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Limited (CGMSCL), where officials and businessmen colluded to cause a ₹411 crore loss to the state government. In just 27 days, purchases worth ₹750 crore were made, implicating IAS, IFS, and other senior officials. The Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) is actively investigating the case, with Shashank Chopra, director of Mokshit Corporation, currently in remand.
Inflated Prices and Unnecessary Purchases
The scam involved the purchase of medical equipment at highly inflated prices. For instance:
- EDTA tubes, originally priced at ₹8, were bought for ₹2,352.
- CBS machines, worth ₹5 lakh, were purchased at ₹17 lakh.
- Reagents worth ₹300 crore were procured despite being unnecessary.
Key suppliers under investigation include Mokshit Corporation, Records and Medicare System, Shri Sharda Industries, and CB Corporation.
Officials Under Investigation
Following Chopra’s interrogation, EOW has shortlisted around 10 officials for questioning, including:
- Bhim Singh
- Chandrakant Verma
- Meenakshi Gautam
- Basant Kaushik
- Dr. Anil Parsai
- Kshirod Raotia
- Kamalkant Patanwar
- Anand Rao
- An IFS officer
Complaint and FIR
In December 2024, former Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar filed a complaint with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Central Home Ministry, CBI, and ED, leading to an EOW probe. An FIR was registered against five individuals.
Closure of Shri Sharda Industries
After the EOW probe, Shri Sharda Industries shut down operations, with its website citing “temporary closure.” The firm, located in Tarra village, Dharsiwa tehsil, Raipur, was last registered under GST in 2017 and filed its final tax return on June 5, 2024.
Manipulation of Tenders
Documents accessed by Dainik Bhaskar Digital reveal that CGMSC officials awarded ₹750 crore worth of tenders to Mokshit Corporation in just 27 days. A cartel involving Mokshit Corporation and Shri Sharda Industries manipulated the tender process to eliminate competitors and secure contracts.
Raids and Seizures
On January 27, EOW conducted raids at 16 locations, including Mokshit Corporation’s offices in Raipur, Durg, and Panchkula (Haryana). The raids targeted Chopra’s family and associates, leading to the seizure of crucial documents.
Between January 2022 and October 31, 2023, CGMSC purchased billions worth of reagents despite a lack of necessity, filling up hospitals and warehouses. Reagents worth ₹300 crore were distributed to over 200 primary health centers, even though many lacked CBS machines, laboratories, or technicians to use them. CGMSC had even planned to buy 600 refrigerators to prevent spoilage of near-expiry reagents.
Ongoing Investigation and Arrests
EOW has intensified its interrogation of procurement officials. Two have been questioned so far, and more arrests are expected. Chopra’s judicial remand has been extended till February 10, with EOW considering interrogating six more officials, including two IAS officers.
The case continues to unfold as authorities dig deeper into this massive corruption scandal.
