New Delhi: A Nellore-based doctor has been duped of Rs 56 lakh under the pretext of constructing a hospital. The Delhi Police's Crime Branch has initiated an investigation into a doctor's complaint who informed the police about his plan to establish a dental hospital in his hometown.
According to the doctor, a family friend promised to facilitate a government grant for a 100-bed multispecialty hospital. However, the friend insisted on a payment of Rs 60 lakh to government officials to secure the grant.
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As per a recent media report by the Times of India, the doctor, unable to arrange the full amount, was then offered the option to pay in installments by the friend and his wife. The friend's wife claimed to have connections with several ministers, adding an air of legitimacy to the scheme. As the doctor agreed to the proposed payment plan and paid his friend Rs 56 lakhs.
“The doctor has paid Rs 56 lakh to the accused duo.
During Covid-19, he suffered a financial loss and even had to sell a piece of land, which he had kept for his dental hospital. After waiting for years and finding that nothing was happening, he asked his friend to return the money. But he refused and the doctor then approached police,” an officer said.
The fraudulent scheme underscores the vulnerability of individuals seeking to establish medical facilities, especially when promised government assistance. The Delhi Police's Crime Branch is now actively investigating the matter, aiming to uncover the details of the scam and identify those responsible for the financial deceit.
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Frauds targeting individuals with aspirations for healthcare ventures are not uncommon, emphasizing the need for increased vigilance and scrutiny in such business dealings. A similar incident took place a few years back, where police registered a case against four persons, including two doctors, for allegedly cheating a woman doctor of Rs 1.54 crore under the pretext of arranging funds for a hospital in Thane district of Maharashtra.