In what is being described as a chilling nexus of deception and greed, a hospital in Chhattisgarh's Raipur has come under the scanner of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for orchestrating a full-scale fraud to obtain recognition from the Medical Council. The CBI has already arrested the college director of Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Medical College (SRIMSR), Atul Kumar Tiwari, and named Ravi Shankar Maharaj, the college chairman, in the First Information Report (FIR).
NDTV's ground investigation reveals that the college not only hired fake doctors but also allegedly created an elaborate setup of fake patients by luring poor villagers with money.
Villagers from Tulsi Bakhtra, Kurru Cheria, and Sundarkara told NDTV how they were paid as little as Rs 150 to spend the day lying in hospital beds during official inspections. People were herded into buses, registered under fake names and ailments, and made to sit or lie in hospital wards, all to show inflated OPD and IPD numbers to inspection teams. Many of these villagers were not paid even the promised amount.
"This is not just fraud, it's exploitation," said a villager who was part of the deception. The college allegedly used final-year students as faculty to fabricate the image of a functional hospital. Local health workers and agents received commissions for rounding up fake patients; all of this, sources say, was planned ahead of the National Medical Commission's inspection, whose date was leaked to the college in advance.
Manohar Sahu, a villager from Sundarkela, said, "I had gone to the hospital in June. They had called us to get photos taken. Four of us went and were paid Rs 600 for a day. Many people like me had gone." Tulsi, another villager from Sundarkela, said, "We carried two bags from our house and went, and others from nearby homes also went. We were paid Rs 300, but the rest got Rs 150 each. We waited the whole day. Five children were also kept till evening for the test. Bilasa Bai said, "They took us in the same way. My arms and legs were aching. They clicked photos. We left in a bus at 9 AM and stayed till evening. They haven't paid yet. They said Rs 150 would be given. Many people had gone on the bus from the other hamlet, only three or four from ours. Haven't received money this time, but got it last time we went."
As per the FIR by the CBI, inspectors were reportedly bribed through hawala channels to give favourable reports. The CBI swung into action on July 1, 2025, arresting six people, including Atul Tiwari, and seizing Rs 55 lakh in cash. Raids were conducted at over 40 locations across six states, uncovering a deeper network of corruption that includes 35 named accused, among them a retired IFS officer, Sanjay Shukla. Some bribes were tracked to Bengaluru, suggesting that this was a widespread and well-funded operation.
What makes the revelations even more disturbing is the implication for future healthcare. If medical colleges are using fake patients and staff to pass inspections, what kind of doctors are they producing? Will these students, trained under a system built on fraud, be capable of saving lives or will they become dangers in white coats?
State Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal told NDTV, "The government is working within the rules and regulations. We are also conducting our own inquiry to examine how licenses were granted in the past. Some licenses are still under process, while others were issued through the Government of India. Whatever falls under the jurisdiction of the state government will be dealt with transparently. We will follow the guidelines of the Medical Council of India and take action accordingly. The findings that have emerged from the investigation are concerning. Incidents like these tarnish the reputation of the state."
