By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: A letter dated December 2, 2022, bearing no AIIMS/BBSR/MS/Pha/Che/13/2020(PC)/5497 written by Rasmi Ranjan Sethy , Senior Administrative Officer of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar to Rajaram Choudhury, Proprietor M/s Choudhury 24/7 Medicine Store , Inside AIIMS -Bhubaneswar Hospital Campus has exposed how the drugs trader manipulated all Government norms and conditions to obtain tender work to run the Medical Store, sources said.
The letter which was in possession of www.indianewsdiary.com, revealed that, AIIMS-Bhubaneswar sent repeated notice to Choudhury Medical Store to vacant the place which was gone in vain so far. The AIIMS-Bhubaneswar letter was sent to the Medical store following a directive from Drugs Controller, Bhubaneswar-II through a letter dated 16.11.2022, in which the DC had asked the Medical store to reply to its showcase within 7 days, that also went remained unanswered till date.
Well informed sources said, present Drugs Controller Subodha Nayak was in fix with Rajaram Choudhury, Proprietor M/s Choudhury 24/7 Medicine Store and for which the medical store getting a free hand to run its illegal business, sources said adding when a court case pending the said medical store in Sambalpur as to why and how, Drugs Controller Subodh Nayak had issued No Objection Certificate (NoC) to M/s Choudhury 24/7 Medicine Store , Inside AIIMS -Bhubaneswar Hospital Campus. When contacted on 9439999914, Drugs Controller Subodha Nayak not responded calls.
Sources said quoting AIIMS-Bhubaneswar missive to the Medical store “As per the tender documents, a firm is required to achieve a turnover of Rs 10 Crores each year in the proceding 3 years . However the annual turn over the farm for 2018-19 stands at Rs 9.88 Crores while as per the profit and loss statement, shows that turnover is Rs 11.10 Crores. The mismatch in the figure in the profit and loss statement and the certificate of Charted Accountant amounts to indulgence of fraudulent practices as per Clause(d) of Sub-Section 08 of section 02 of the tender. Drug license submitted by the store is also fake, sources said.
Following such allegations, competent authority of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar had decided to terminate the contract and directed the medical store to vacate the place within 30 days but the store is still running with CBI conducting raids.
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 and it was done with consent of PK Ray (DDA), PK Pujari(ASO) and Subodh Kumar Nayak, Drug Controller, Odisha.
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.
