WB: Govt hospital gets dubious bills worth Rs 3 lakh for biryani, authorities dumbfounded

"We have received a complaint regarding fake bills. There is some truth in it. We are investigating the matter. A probe has been initiated following instructions from the State and district health departments and a report will be submitted soon. Those involved in it will not be spared," senior district health official Subarna Goswami said.

Katwa (West Bengal): A government-run hospital in West Bengal received a couple of bills for a whopping Rs. 3 lakhs only for biriyani. The incident took place at the Katwa Subdivision Hospital in the East Bardhaman district. According to sources in the hospital, apart from the bills on biryani, the hospital has received 81 more bills totaling over Rs 1 crore which were submitted by a contractor.

Hospital sources said that a few ago Souvik Alam took charge as the Superintendent of the hospital and some bills were submitted to him. He was told that the bills were pending for a long time and had to be cleared soon. While checking the bills, Alam saw that a few bills totaling Rs. 3 lakh have been submitted for biryani only. Hospital sources said that the dubious bills were submitted by a contractor named Kingshuk Ghosh who supplies a variety of products to the hospital including biryani, furniture, and vehicles. After coming to know about the dubious bills, the Suprenbtendent called a meeting of the Patient Welfare Committee and the issue was discussed threadbare.

According to sources in the district administration, there is truth in the allegation that fake bills were submitted to the hospital authorities. They further revealed that action will be taken against health officials and workers who signed the bills for clearing. "We have received a complaint regarding fake bills. There is some truth in it. We are investigating the matter. A probe has been initiated following instructions from the State and district health departments and a report will be submitted soon. Those involved in it will not be spared," senior district health official Subarna Goswami said.