Guwahati, March 25: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken significant action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002. The agency has temporarily frozen assets worth approximately ₹55.33 lakhs belonging to Mobjil Hussain Barbhuiya, the proprietor of Shifa Hospital and Research Center located in the Hailakandi district of Assam.
This action is part of an investigation into a large-scale fraud linked to the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The ED initiated its probe based on FIR number 316/2022 filed on November 19, 2022, at the Hailakandi police station, and charge sheet number 37/2023 submitted on February 28, 2023. These cases are associated with various offenses under the Indian Penal Code, classified as scheduled offenses under the PMLA.
The investigation revealed shocking findings. Shifa Hospital, which was listed under the AB-PMJAY scheme, submitted 778 fraudulent reimbursement claims between April 22, 2019, and November 5, 2022, totaling ₹64,10,780. Notably, the hospital did not even exist at its declared address.
Mobjil Hussain Barbhuiya orchestrated a well-planned fraud scheme. Beneficiaries were lured to a temporary location, where they were photographed lying on hospital beds and paid merely ₹300 in return. These staged images were uploaded to the Transaction Management System (TMS) portal to file false medical procedure claims, despite no actual treatment being provided.
In exchange for these fraudulent claims, the Assam government’s State Health Agency, Atal Amrit Abhiyan Society, deposited a total of ₹57.96 lakhs into the hospital’s Bank of India account. The ED’s investigation confirmed that this amount constituted “proceeds of crime” under section 2(1)(u) of the PMLA, which the accused withdrew through cash withdrawals and UPI transfers.
Further investigation revealed that during and after the fraudulent fund acquisition, the accused purchased five plots of land and constructed two multi-story buildings without any legitimate income. The ED has temporarily frozen six properties, including five plots and one floor of a multi-story building, with a total value of ₹55.33 lakhs, equivalent to the proceeds of crime.
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S.C.H.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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