Eye hospital chief admits to asking for bribe, booked

CHENNAI, 6 DEC 2017:

The director and superintendent of Regional Institute of Ophthalmology in Egmore K Sridhar has been booked by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) for demanding a bribe of Rs 500 under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 section 7, 13(2) read with Section 13(1(d).

A preliminary DVAC inquiry on October 4 found Sridhar was under suspension from September 28 when a video of him purportedly demanding the bribe for issuing eye fitness and blindness certificate to a partially impaired person. The video was released by citizen group Arappor Iyakkam.

He was suspended based on an inquiry conducted by Dr Geetha, additional director of medical education, and Dr P Vasanthamani, dean of the Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital.

During the inquiry, Sridhar admitted to receiving bribe of Rs 100 or Rs 200 from beneficiaries while issuing certificates and said his did not maintain any record in this regard. This prima facie makes a case against him, DVAC sources said.

Sridhar was not supposed to collect money from beneficiaries and any amount to be collected had to be collected by Jothi Ramalingam, an assistant in his office.

An acknowledgement must be issued, Geetha said in a statement to DVAC.

According to DVAC, there are two medical boards at the hospital. At the regional medical board, persons referred from other office are tested by a single medical officer and a fee of Rs 60 is collected. Half of this is paid to the officer. The special medical board is constituted for persons referred by other offices wherein three medical officers verify the patients. Of the Rs 200 collected from the patients, Rs 50 each is paid to the medical officers.