A high-voltage drama unfolded at a military hospital on Saturday, when two national agencies — the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Indian Army — locked horns with each other, with both parties refusing to budge, after a team of the CBI conducted a surprise raid at the hospital.
CBI officials were in for a surprise after being confronted by lathi-wielding Army jawans. The CBI team then had to get the local police and higher-ups of all concerned departments involved to carry out their duty.
According to CBI officials, the raid was conducted at the Military Command Hospital in Wanawadi, Pune, following complaints of certain medicine suppliers being favoured by the hospital authorities in exchange for bribes.
At around 2.45 pm on Saturday, a team of CBI officers reached the hospital and asked to examine documents related to purchases of medicines. However, the officers in-charge of the hospital refused to comply with the CBI.
“The team had asked the officers to produce documents of some items, which were allegedly taken as bribes, as well as those regarding the supply of medicines, which they could not produce. They also did not allow our officers to seize the items in question and refused to sign the panchnama,” CBI superintendent Vidya Kulkarni said.
The resistance continued with the officers cordoning off the area and calling in 40 Army jawans to prevent the CBI from entering the premises. The CBI then approached the Wanwadi police station, and returned to the spot along with a team of policemen. After a heated argument and several phone calls to senior officials from the Army as well as the Pune police, the CBI team was allowed inside.
“We have seized three computers, one fax machine, one window AC and several legal documents from the office of the medical stores department (MSD) of the hospital. Further inquiries are on,” said a CBI official.
Meanwhile, the Wanawadi police has registered a complaint in the matter as well.
“We have filed a case against Major General Surendra Panwar for obstructing a government servant from discharging his duty. No arrests have been made yet and further inquiries are on,” said senior police inspector Shivajirao Kanase, Wanawadi police station. Army spokesperson Prashant Patrade could not be reached for comment.