DHARAN: Police have arrested 10 suspected middlemen from BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan, for allegedly engaging in illegal commission-based activities targeting patients.
According to Sunsari District Police Office Chief Superintendent of Police Keshav Kumar Thebe, the suspects were taken into custody on Tuesday night based on special information received by police.
A joint team from the Area Police Office Dharan and the temporary police post at Ghopa arrested the individuals from in front of the institute’s emergency building on suspicion of being involved in such activities.
Police allege that the suspects had been approaching patients receiving treatment at the institute and offering to arrange cheaper medicines from private medical stores in exchange for illegal commissions.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Ranjit Kumar Chaudhary of Agnisair Krishna Savaran Rural Municipality-3, Saptari; Ravina Mandal of Rajbiraj Municipality-6, Saptari; Hast Shrestha of Bhojpur; Sagar Pokharel of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City-15; Sabin Kiranti of Letang Municipality-3, Morang; Manish Budhathoki of Dharan-6; Umesh Kumar Chaudhary of Chaudandigadhi Municipality-5, Udayapur; Dhiroj Niraula of Dharan-17; Rohit Mehta of Inaruwa Municipality-2, Sunsari; and Binod Bhattarai of Dharan-11.
Earlier, police had also arrested Prabin Pokharel of Damak Municipality-1, Jhapa, and Dipak Ram of Harinagara Rural Municipality-4, Sunsari, on July 6. Investigation into the case is ongoing.
The arrests follow an inspection visit by Home Minister Sudan Gurung and Health Minister Nisha Mehta to BPKIHS on July 5, during which they directed hospital authorities and officials to take strict measures against middlemen activities, irregularities and fraud targeting patients.
Comment