In a significant development at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, the university’s newly formed purchase committee has accused the Transfusion Medicine Department of major financial irregularities spanning from 2015 to 2025. The allegations primarily target Dr. Tulika Chandra, the former head of the department, involving a multi-crore scam related to inflated testing charges, procurement fraud, misuse of funds, and forgery of signatures. This controversy erupted in early August 2025 and has led to investigations, her temporary removal from the post, and subsequent reinstatement under conditions.
Serious questions have been raised on the purchases worth crores of rupees during his tenure. It is alleged that the first owner of the vehicles purchased in the name of Dr. Tulika and her son is Shiv Shankar Singh. The shocking thing is that the name of the owner of Yashika Enterprises, a firm that supplies to the Transfusion Medicine Department, is also Shiv Shankar Singh.
The Transfusion Medicine Department at KGMU handles blood bank operations, including tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and syphilis, often funded by the National Health Mission (NHM). The purchase committee, formed in response to initial complaints, conducted an audit that uncovered several discrepancies:
1. Inflated Testing Charges: Under NHM guidelines, tests via Chemiluminescence machines are reimbursed at ₹265 per blood bag. However, the department allegedly charged over ₹500 per test, leading to overpricing. Reports indicate that tests costing as little as ₹5 elsewhere were billed at ₹85 in KGMU, resulting in substantial financial losses to the government. Consumables that are provided free in other institutions like AIIMS were also paid for here, with costs several times higher than comparative rates.
2. Procurement Scam and Unused Supplies: The committee found that crores worth of equipment and materials were procured annually, but much of it remained unused. Several purchase files are under suspicion for irregularities. Notably, no formal purchase committee existed in the department until the forgery issue surfaced, allowing unchecked spending. Suppliers were allegedly favored through suspicious relationships, pointing to potential kickbacks.
3. Forgery of Signatures and Document Tampering: Forensic investigations confirmed fake signatures of faculty members on stock registers and official documents, dating back to April 2024.
Dr. Chandra, as the then-head, is accused of forging these to approve procurements and cover up discrepancies. She was also alleged to have failed to hand over charge to a senior doctor during leave, exacerbating administrative lapses.
These issues came to light after a whistleblower complaint in 2024, leading to a high-level inquiry. The 54th Executive Council meeting on August 27, 2024, demanded a thorough audit of past purchases and removed Dr. Chandra from her position pending investigation.
Timeline of Events
• April 2024: Initial complaint about fake faculty signatures in the Vice-Chancellor’s office.
• July 2024: Forensic report confirms forgery.
• August 2024: Purchase committee formed; audit reveals financial irregularities.
• August 6, 2025: Media reports (e.g., Prabhat Khabar) expose the multi-crore scam, demanding a high-level probe.
• August 18-19, 2025: Navbharat Times details the overpricing and forgery, labeling it a “scam” involving Dr. Chandra.
• August 22, 2025: KGMU Executive Council, chaired by Vice-Chancellor Dr. Sonia Nityanand, approves a disciplinary committee. Dr. Chandra is issued a charge sheet for private practice allegations (separate but concurrent issue) but reinstated as department head after the procurement tampering probe finds “no evidence.” She will face conditions during ongoing investigations.
• Ongoing: Calls for a comprehensive external audit persist from faculty and activists, with the university’s spokesperson stating full compliance with legal processes.
Source: https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/metro/lucknow/crime/up-kgmu-purchase-committee-accuse-transfusion-medicine-department-dr-tulika-chandra-of-scam-latest-update/articleshow/123375100.cms
