Pune: A massive financial scam has been unearthed at Sassoon General Hospital, Pune, where employees allegedly embezzled a staggering sum of ₹4 crore 18 lakh 62 thousand.
This fraud has led to a police case being filed at Bund Garden Police Station, implicating 25 individuals, including senior staff members such as accountant Anil Mane and cashier Sulekshana Chabukswar.
The complaint, filed by the hospital’s administrative officer, Goroba Awate, revealed that the financial irregularities were first noticed during routine audits of the hospital's official records.
Subsequent investigations by an inquiry committee, formed at the direction of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research, confirmed the discrepancies.
According to the complaint, Mane and Chabukswar had been entrusted with signature authority to manage the hospital’s finances. However, they are accused of exploiting this authority to transfer funds from the hospital’s bank account into their personal accounts, as well as those of other employees, without the requisite approval from the hospital’s dean.
This unauthorized transfer of ₹4 crore 18 lakh 62 thousand was reportedly carried out over several transactions.
The investigation also points to a possible conspiracy involving other employees, both government and private, within the hospital. The accused individuals now face charges of financial fraud and embezzlement. Further inquiries are ongoing to determine the full extent of the scam and whether more individuals were involved.
The case has sparked outrage, given the critical role that Sassoon Hospital plays as a government healthcare facility, and questions are being raised regarding the hospital’s financial oversight mechanisms. Authorities are now reviewing past transactions to uncover any additional instances of wrongdoing.
The Bund Garden police are continuing their investigation and are expected to make further arrests as they dig deeper into the financial misconduct.
