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Chandigarh, July 5, 2025 — A major financial scandal has rocked the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, after an internal committee revealed that ₹88.12 lakh meant for the treatment of financially needy patients was spent on medicine procurement without any supporting doctor’s prescription slips. The funds, part of a larger sum of over ₹1.14 crore, were intended to assist patients under government welfare schemes but were allegedly diverted to pharmaceutical vendors in violation of mandatory protocols.
The Prof Arun Kumar Aggarwal committee, which investigated the matter, found that these irregular transactions were linked to 75 patients who had not even applied for reimbursements. The probe uncovered that the required prescriptions—a crucial safeguard against misuse—were missing from the records between 2017 and 2021. Five employees from PGIMER’s Private Grant Cell have been implicated, though the report notably does not name any senior officials.
The scandal first surfaced in October 2022, but it took several months before an inquiry committee was formed in February 2023. The committee’s findings were only submitted in late 2024, and the matter was formally handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in February 2025. Despite the gravity of the allegations, no First Information Report (FIR) has been filed to date, and five of the six employees involved remain employed at PGIMER. These include three contractual workers—Sunil Kumar, Pardeep Singh, and Chetan Gupta—and Gaganpreet, who was on deputation. A permanent employee, junior administrative assistant Dharam Chand, retired in 2020.
The issue gained public attention after Ashwani Munjal, Chairman of the PGI Contractual Workers’ Union, obtained the committee’s report through a Right to Information (RTI) application on July 1, 2025. Munjal criticized the significant delays in both the formation of the inquiry committee and the escalation of the case to the CBI, stating that the first committee meeting was held only in October 2023.
Further investigation has revealed a pattern of fraudulent practices, including the release of funds based on manual supply orders without valid patient records, manipulation of bills, and even payments made in the names of deceased patients. In several cases, money was transferred directly to individuals falsely listed as dependents or spouses, including PGI staff. The committee also reported missing files and vanished software data, raising concerns about systematic evidence destruction and possible involvement of higher-level officials.
PGIMER’s medical superintendent, Dr. Vipin Kaushal, confirmed that the CBI is now in charge of the investigation and that the vigilance department’s directives are being implemented by the Private Grant Cell.
“The case has been formally handed over to the CBI by the vigilance department. The CBI has since taken over the investigation, and the directives issued by the vigilance department are being duly implemented by the Private Grant Cell,” said Dr. Kaushal.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on information available as of July 5, 2025, from committee reports, RTI disclosures, and official statements. The investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation is ongoing, and no individuals have been formally charged or convicted in connection with the alleged misappropriation. All those named are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise in a court of law.
