Karnataka to hand over RGUHS fake bill scam case to CID

Bengaluru: The government has decided to hand over the ‘fake receipt’ scam case reported at the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) to the CID.

Following the decision, the additional chief secretary of the medical education department has directed the finance officer of the university to file a complaint at the jurisdictional police station immediately and share the FIR copy with the department.

“As we need to submit the proposal to the home department on handing over the case to CID, the university should file the FIR and send the copy to the department immediately,” reads a communication from the medical education department to the university.

Despite the decision taken in the Syndicate in October 2023 to file a police complaint against the four nursing colleges which caused financial losses to the university by creating fake receipts, no action was initiated by the university till date.

Following the delay and suspecting a bigger scam, the government directed the varsity to file an FIR. The copy of the communication dated January 4, 2024, is available with DH.

In August 2023, it was revealed that four private nursing colleges generated dubious receipts towards affiliation fee.

For example, one college had paid Rs 2,224 against the actual sum of Rs 2.24 lakh, for which the receipt was generated.

Dr Jaikrishna H J, member of the Syndicate who raised the issue in the previous meeting, said, “My stand is vindicated and I welcome the government’s decision.”

The case

In August 2023, the finance officer identified fake receipts by some of the nursing colleges. Suspecting a bigger scam, he wrote to the additional chief secretaries of medical education and finance departments, demanding a high-level probe.

Four nursing colleges which were supposed to pay Rs 2 lakh plus affiliation fees paid a few thousands of rupees, but receipt was generated for the full fee amount.

The finance officer also suspected the involvement of university staff and sought an inquiry, including on the number of years for which the scam was happening.