Court acquits 12 RIMS staff in graft case
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 23 2021:
The Court of Special Judge (PC Act) Imphal West has acquitted 12 staff of RIMS, who were accused of charging excess money on OPD tickets of the hospital.
According to the charge sheet submitted by CBI, the 12 accused staff conspired and charged excess fees from patients for admission in the General OPD, Obstetrics and Gynaecology OPC, emergency services and PMR and other tests, along with reduction of the deposit money during the period from March 2007 till April 2009, thereby accumulating a total fund of Rs 11,19,346 .
Their conspiracy led the institute to suffer losses, while they were privately earning money illegally.
The 12 staff also tampered with the receipt books, indulged in illegal admission of patients in the special ward and discrepancies in collection of rents from the wards.
After thoroughly examining the materials on record and related case laws, the Court observed that the prosecution failed to provide evidence supporting the charges levelled against the accused, aside from the discrepancies in the deposited funds.
However, the discrepancy in the deposit cannot categorically make the accused staff guilty of the charges.
On top of this, the main culprit of the case, Bijendra Koijam is not mentioned as an accused in the case.
A similar case was handled by CBI wherein a female staff of RIMS was found guilty of misusing funds and she was demoted from her rank as per disciplinary proceedings.
Thus, as the case points are similar to the previous case, the 12 accused staff could be demoted in rank and their increment blocked.
As such, the Court acquitted all 12 staff from the charges, while the case against accused number 12 (deceased) stands abated.