Bengaluru 'bribe for bed' scam unearthed by BJP MP amid COVID; case handed over to CCB

South Bengaluru MP Tejasvi Surya alleged irregularities in the allotment of beds to COVID patients in the city and accused the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) war room officials of running a racket to falsely book beds in return for money. Even as Bengaluru has witnessed a steady increase in the demand for hospital beds, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya claimed to have unearthed a scam in the allotment of beds by the BBMP war room officials and accused them of falsely booking beds that are mean for COVID positive patients in exchange for money. The BJP MP claimed that over 4065 beds in Bengaluru have been booked illegally so far and detailed on the modus operandi of the scam, noting that beds were falsely allotted for 12 hours during which BBMP officials allegedly attempted to 'sell the beds'.

Tejasvi Surya unearths 'bribe for bed scam'

On Tuesday, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya along with MLAs Sathish Reddy and Uday Garudachar confronted the BBMP war-room officials regarding the racket following which the bed allotment scam case was later on handed over to the Central Crime Branch (CCB) for investigation. The BJP leaders accused the BBMP war-room officials of allotting beds, meant for COVID positive patients, to asymptomatic patients and charging Rs 40,000 for blocking a bed. The BJP MP and the MLAs questioned the civic body officials on how beds could be blocked for the admission of a new patient within thirty seconds of the previous patient who was discharged. 

Further, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya accused the war-room personnel of being related to each other and questioned the 'hiring process' of 17 individuals and the whereabouts of the agency that they belonged to. Addressing a press conference, Tejasvi Surya said that there were enough beds in Bengaluru city but none of them were available to people as war room personnel have been running a racket of false blocking beds and then allotting them to those they please. The BJP Yuva Morcha president claimed that there was a nexus between certain BBMP officials, Aarogya Mitra hospitals and private agents who were indulging in the 'bribe for bed' scam.  

"Beds are blocked in the names of asymptomatic patients, people who are in home isolation and who are not even aware that a bed has been blocked under their name. Thereafter, the external agents speak to the personnel in the war room and reallot the bed to those people who make a certain payment to a certain person outside," MP Tejasvi Surya said, labelling it as the 'most disgusting' thing that could take place during a pandemic. 

CM Yediyurappa vows 'severe action'

After MP Tejasvi Surya's 'bribe for beds' scam expose, Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa said that severe action would be taken against those involved in the racket. Later in the evening, Bengaluru city Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said that the case, which was lodged at Jayanagar Police Station and in which two accused were arrested for fraud, had been handed over to the CCB for an in-depth investigation. An FIR of bed blocking was registered at Jaynagar police station under crime number 83/21 and agents Rohit and Netra arrested in the case. The duo booked under sections 420 and 384 of the IPC and reportedly sold ICU beds to the patients, charging them Rs 50,000 per bed. Police also seized 1,05,000 from their bank account while further investigations are on. 

Karnataka records over 44,000 new COVID cases in 24 hours

Karnataka reported 44,631 new COVID-19 cases and 292 deaths on Tuesday, taking the caseload and fatalities to 16,90,934 and 16,538 respectively, the health department said. According to the health bulletin, the state has 4,64,363 active cases whereas 12,10,013 people have been discharged so far including 24,714 people on Tuesday. Bengaluru urban district, which is the main contributor of a daily spike in cases, now has 3,01,712 active cases. The city reported 20,870 infections and 132 deaths on Tuesday. Cumulatively, Bengaluru has 8,40,274 cases and 6,845 deaths. According to the health bulletin, 2,293 infections were reported in Mysuru, 2,278 in Hassan, 1636 in Tumakuru, 1,506 in Mandya, 1,280 in Kalaburagi and 1,162 in Kalaburagi.