Bengaluru Hospital 'bed scam': BJP MP alleges hospitals blocked beds in fake names to make money
Bengaluru, May 4: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Tuesday alleged that hospitals in the city 'blocked' beds in fake names to make money, at a time when COVID-19 cases were rising in the country and Karnataka.
At least 4,065 beds were 'blocked' in fake names by the hospitals to make a killing, the BJP Yuva Morcha president and Bengaluru South BJP MP alleged.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said he will take action 'mercilessly' against the hospitals, their management and government officials and will not spare anyone who is involved in it.
As COVID cases are rising, the Karnataka government has ordered the private hospitals and nursing homes to reserve 80 per cent of beds for coronavirus patients.
However, according to Surya, government officials in Bengaluru colluded with private nursing homes and hospitals to block the beds and reserve it for exorbitant fees.
"When people are struggling to find a bed in the hospital and begging everyone including MPs and MLAs to give them one, there are hospitals who say that no beds are vacant," Surya told reporters.
According to him, those in the BBMP (city corporation) war room in Bengaluru get all the details about those testing positive such as whether they are asymptomatic or symptomatic.
If they are asymptomatic, they will be kept under home isolation but beds will be booked in different hospitals in their names, he alleged.
In one instance, beds were booked in 12 hospitals in the name of one patient, Surya said, adding, these beds are 'sold' to the needy at a much higher price.
"When families after families are getting wiped out for lack of proper treatment, these incidents are not just corruption. This is murder," Surya told reporters.
Taking serious note of the incident, the state government ordered a police investigation. Accordingly, a case has been registered.
Bengaluru city police Commissioner Kamal Pant tweeted on Tuesday that the matter has been handed over to the Central Crime Branch and two people have been arrested and others were being questioned.
"A case has been registered in Jayanagar Police Station for fraud and cheating allegedly committed in allotment of beds on BBMP portal for #COVID patients. Two accused have been arrested and others are being questioned for alleged fraud/irregularity in the allotment of beds in return for money from patients," he tweeted.
Replying to the Commissioner's tweet, the BJP MP wrote: "Thank you for the swift action. I sincerely hope the kingpins, senior officials, are held for their omissions and commissions."
"System won't reform if some small fry elements are held as is mostly done. Have lots of faith in you, Sir."
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LIVE | Election Results of five states 2026
New Delhi: The countdown has begun for the counting of votes for the Assembly elections in five states that have captured the attention of people across the country.
The counting of votes for the Assembly constituencies of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry will begin simultaneously at 8 am, and the fate of candidates in a total of 824 constituencies will be decided shortly.
The counting of postal ballots will take place first, followed by the counting of EVM votes in several rounds.
► In Kerala’s Kasaragod constituency, UDF candidate Kallatra Mahin Haji is leading by 4,177 votes over NDA candidate M. L. Ashwini
► ADMK leader in Tamil Nadu, followed by TVK, DMK takes third spot. PMK, CPI, Congress lead in one seat each
► In West Bengal, TMC is leading in 111 seats, while BJP is leading in 119 seats.
► Vijay’s TVK leading in over 80 seats in Tamil Nadu, emerges as single largest party in early trends
► In Assam, BJP is leading in 71 seats, while Congress is leading in 26 seats.
► Kerala: UDF leading in 21 seats, LDF second, leading in 11
► Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala faces a setback in Kerala’s Haripad constituency
► Thrissur: Congress’ Rajan J Pallan leading with 6,460 votes; CPI candidate Alankode Leelakrishnan second with 5113 votes
► Out of 294 seats in West Bengal, BJP is leading in 109, TMC in 89, Congress in 5, others in one seat.
► DMK candidate in Thiruchirapalli KN Nehru behind TVK's G Ramamoorthi by 292 votes
► The BJP has taken an early lead in West Bengal, while Mamata Banerjee faces tough competition
► TVK head Vijay leads in Perambur constituency
► M. K. Stalin is leading in Tamil Nadu’s Kolathur constituency.
► AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami is leading in Tamil Nadu’s Edappadi constituency
► In Puducherry, BJP is leading in 3 seats.
► In Assam, BJP is leading in 56 seats, while Congress is leading in 12 seats.
► Suvendhu Adhikari leads in both Bhabanipur and Nandigram
► West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee faces setback in Bhabanipur constituency
► Bhupen Borah, who recently left Congress and joined the BJP, is leading in Assam’s Bihpuria constituency
► Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is leading in Jalukabari constituency
► BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is leading in West Bengal’s Nandigram constituencyFive-state elections: Postal vote counting begins
► TMC, BJP lead in one seat each in West Bengal
► In Tamil Nadu, DMK leads in 3 constituencies, while TVK leads in 1
► UDF leads in 5 seats in Kerala, BJP in 1, LDF in 1
► BJP leads in 2 seats, AIUDF in 1 in Assam
► AINRC leads in 1 constituency in Puducherry
► TMC leads in 5 seats in West Bengal; Mamata Banerjee’s party maintains initial lead
► Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin leads in Kolathur
► BJP takes early lead in Assam
► Congress-led UDF leads in Kerala
► Tamil Nadu, TVK chief Vijay leads in the Perambur constituency, lags in Tiruchirappalli South
► BJP leads in 10 seats in Assam
► LDF candidate V.P.P. Mustafa leads in the Thrikkaripur Assembly constituency
► Out of 294 seats in West Bengal, BJP is leading in 14 seats, TMC in 12 seats, Congress in 2 seats
► Out of 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, DMK is leading in 15 seats, AIADMK is leading in 5 seats, TVK is leading in 2 seats
► Out of 126 seats in Assam, BJP is leading in 31 seats, Congress in 4 seats, AIUDF in 2 seats.
► Out of 30 seats in Puducherry, NRC+ is leading in 3 seats, Congress in 2 seats, TVK in 1 seat.
► Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suffers a setback in theBerhampore constituency in West Bengal.
