A surprise visit of Karnataka Upa Lokayukta B. Veerappa at the Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences (BRIMS) Hospital led to the discovery of cash and a cheque of ₹2 lakh in the possession of a laboratory technician, raising serious questions about financial irregularities in the government-run healthcare institution.
The incident occurred during Veerappa’s visit to the BRIMS Hospital in Bidar district, where he was in the process of examining hospital operations, patient services and administration. During the inspection, officials found ₹1 lakh in cash and another ₹1 lakh cheque with a laboratory technician named Sanjukumar, who is currently working in the laboratory department of the hospital.
The discovery drew the Upa Lokayukta's attention immediately, who demanded an explanation of the money and the source. The laboratory technician, as he was not able to give a satisfactory explanation and was nervous when asked about the money, the officials said.
Veerappa was vehemently upset and questioned hospital officials about how such a large amount of money came to be in the possession of an employee working at a government healthcare institution. He was seeking answers from senior medical officials about internal monitoring mechanisms and whether proper checks were in place to prevent possible irregularities.
According to sources, the Upa Lokayukta reprimanded both the laboratory technician and hospital officials for not explaining to the public the cash and cheque. It has raised fears of possible unauthorised financial transactions in the hospital.
Because of the gravity of the issue, Veerappa ordered officials to seize the cash and cheque for further investigation. He also directed authorities to file a suo motu case and conduct a detailed investigation into the matter. The investigation is going to look into the source of the funds and how they were used, as well as whether any violations of service rules or anti-corruption laws have occurred.
The inspection is part of ongoing efforts by the Lokayukta institution to enhance transparency and accountability in public offices and government institutions across Karnataka. Surprise visits and inspections are frequently made to identify problems, redress public grievances, and help government services to be performed efficiently and ethically.
Hospital staff and residents are also talking about it and asking for a fair and unbiased investigation. The concerned employee and hospital management will be interviewed as part of the investigation.
Further action will be taken if misconduct is found, and officials have said that if misconduct is found, severe action will be taken. The case is likely to be examined closely, and the circumstances of the seized money will be investigated further.
