BBMP hospital gave fake NOC to get ultrasound scanning machine; FIR filed

Bengaluru: A BBMP hospital gave a fake no objection certificate to get a certificate for an ultrasound scanning machine. The NOC contained the forged signatures of a former health department official and other staff, according to a police complaint. 

Police registered an FIR on December 4, following a complaint from the District Health Office (DHO). 

The NOC forged the signatures of Dr Indira R Kabade, a former health and family welfare officer, a case worker, and other staff, according to the FIR. 

Dr Indira wrote to the DHO about her forged signature in the NOC. The DHO subsequently filed a complaint at the Indiranagar police station, said an official. 

Police have opened a case under IPC sections dealing with forgery, dishonesty and forging a document, and launched investigations, an officer said. 

The case comes amid the illegal sex determination-female foeticide racket busted by the Bengaluru police last month. Police investigations showed that doctors involved in the racket had obtained portable ultrasound scanning machines under dubious circumstances. If private people sell these machines, more rackets may be operational. 

Prenatal sex determination is illegal in India. 

According to the official from the DHO, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, hospitals must register online and get the NOC to obtain the machine. 

The DHO reviews documents submitted by the hospital before issuing the NOC with the signatures of the officials concerned. Once the hospital gets an invoice from the company that supplies the machine, it has to submit the NOC again to the DHO to get certification for the machine bought from the company. 

But in this case, the FIR alleges, the BBMP-run Modi Hospital in Kathriguppe directly submitted the NOC for certification. The hospital neither registered to get the machine nor sent the documents to the DHO for verification. The DHO then discovered that the NOC given by the hospital was fake because the department hadn’t given any such thing in the first place. 

The official quoted previously said they had sent Modi Hospital a notice, seeking information about the source of the NOC. 

The official said: "We believe a private person forged the signatures and created the fake NOC. The person cheated the hospital and sold the machine.” 

He added: "If private individuals could get a fake NOC to a government hospital and sell the machine, they may as well be selling the equipment to private hospitals without any checks and balances." 

How do hospitals get ultrasound machines? 

* Hospitals have to apply online with relevant documents, including a requisition for a no objection certificate (NOC). 
* Original documents have to be sent to the District Health Office (DHO) by post.
* DHO verifies the document and gives the NOC.
* The hospital should then submit the NOC to the company selling the machine and obtain an invoice.
* The company sends the machine to the hospital, but doesn't install it.
* The hospital has to submit the NOC along with the invoice to the DHO for certification.
* An official from DHO visits the hospital and conducts an inspection.
* The DHO sends the certificate to the Deputy Commissioner’s office for the DC's signature.
* The certificate to use the machine is given to the hospital for five years.