₹1500 Ayushman Card Scam: 1200 Fake Cards Made by Tampering with Portal Data

During the investigation of the Khyati Hospital case, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch uncovered a scam involving the creation of fake Ayushman cards to defraud the government. Accused Kartik Patel and Chirag Rajput, along with eight others, orchestrated the scam. It was revealed that Chirag Rajput, under Kartik Patel’s direction, collaborated with others to produce fake PMJAY cards. Shocking details emerged that these bogus cards were made for just ₹1,500 to claim fraudulent medical benefits worth lakhs. The scam involved tampering with government portals, and FIRs have been filed against 10 individuals. The police are also investigating possible links to other states.

Fake Cards Made for ₹1,500 Per Patient

According to Kartik Patel, Chirag Rajput collaborated with Nimesh Dodiya to create the cards. Beneficiaries were charged ₹1,500 to ₹2,000 per card, out of which Nimesh received ₹1,000. Nimesh used various portals to make Ayushman cards and advertised these services widely. He was connected with others, including Mohammed Fazal, Mohammed Asfaq, Narendra Singh Gohil, and Imtiaz, through WhatsApp and Telegram groups.

Over 1,200 Fake Cards Created by Tampering with Ayushman Portal

The group produced approximately 1,200 to 1,500 fake cards by exploiting technical flaws in the Ayushman portal. They tampered with the source code to fabricate the cards. Nimesh Dodiya and Narendra Singh Gohil illegally acquired user IDs from Nikhil Parekh of Answer Communication Pvt. Ltd. to approve e-KYC for the cards. Nikhil charged ₹8,000 to ₹10,000 monthly for providing these credentials.

The Accused

1. Kartik Patel, Ahmedabad
2. Chirag Rajput, Ahmedabad
3. Nimesh Dodiya, Ahmedabad
4. Mohammed Fazal Sheikh, Ahmedabad
5. Mohammed Asfaq Sheikh, Ahmedabad
6. Narendra Singh Gohil, Bhavnagar
7. Imtiaz, Bhavnagar
8. Rashid, Bihar
9. Imran Jabeer Hussain Karigar, Surat
10. Nikhil Parekh, Ahmedabad

Khyati Hospital Conducted 4,947 Surgeries, Claimed ₹26 Crore

Data analysis from the PMJAY department revealed that Khyati Hospital performed 4,947 surgeries under the scheme between May 2021 and November 2024. Claims worth ₹26.48 crore were submitted to the government during this period. It is unclear how much of the claimed amount has been disbursed to the hospital, but the institution filed claims exceeding ₹26 crore within just 43 months.

Government Plans Reforms in PMJAY Rules After Khyati Scam

Following the Khyati scam, where patients undergoing heart treatment lost their lives, the state government has decided to issue new guidelines for hospitals under the PMJAY scheme. Moving forward, hospitals must upload videos of surgeries to the portal when applying for claims for angiography and angioplasty. The government is also revising its portal to implement these changes. New rules will cover treatments in cardiovascular, cardiology, pediatrics, radiology, and chemotherapy. A review meeting was held by Health Minister Rushikesh Patel in Gandhinagar to draft the updated guidelines.

New Rules to Be Implemented

1. The National Anti-Fraud Unit will assist the State Anti-Fraud Unit (SAFU) to strengthen fraud prevention.
2. New teams will be formed at the state and district levels to conduct periodic hospital visits and submit reports.
3. Measures will be introduced to check the quality of stents and implants.
4. Chief District Health Officers and Medical Officers of Health must audit at least two PMJAY hospitals each month.