By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Choudhury Medical Store, a 24X7 pharmacy store at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar was under scanner of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). CBI is likely to question Choudhury Medical Store Proprietor Rajaram Choudhury, sources said.
Sources said, the store got the tender work during tenure of Prof Dr SN Mohanty as AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, Medical Superintendent, adding Prof Dr SN Mohanty is now at DMET. The Choudhury Medical Store has been fighting legal battle for its past misdeeds at Sambalpur based Burla Medical.
CBI carried out searches at the store to verify papers related to the tender obtained to operate the pharmacy store. Some documents were also seized during the operation. The CBI carried out the searches suspecting discrepancies in the tender process. The Choudhury Medical Store submitted forged GST and other documents to obtain the tender , sources said.
“The documents will be examined and if required, the operators of the pharmacy store will be served notice to appear before the CBI for questioning,” said sources. The searches reportedly went on for a few hours and continued till the evening of Thursday.
AIIMS, Bhubaneswar had reportedly invited tenders to run 24X7 pharmacy store/chemist shop in October 2020 to supply medicines, surgical consumables, implants, orthotics and prosthetic devices, and others to patients only against valid prescriptions of its doctors at approved fixed discounted rates.
One of the requirements for the bidders was to have at least five years experience in selling/dispensing medicines, surgical consumables/implants/orthotics and prosthetic devices. A few days ago, Drug Control directorate had carried search after being informed that the pharmacy was not selling medicines at discounted prices, sources said. The store selling medicine to general public at a discount of only 40% while it was mandatory at 85%.
Recently, dozen over dalals active at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar were arrested by police. Dalals calling the shot at the AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, sources added.
