Ranchi: In a major development linked to alleged corruption under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized ₹16.5 lakh in cash from the premises of Ashish Ranjan, a district coordinator posted at Ranchi Sadar Hospital. Ranjan is already under departmental scrutiny over his academic qualifications and the process of his appointment.
The ED’s operation began early Friday morning and continued late into the night, covering a total of 21 locations. Altogether, officials recovered ₹18.5 lakh in unaccounted cash, including ₹2 lakh from the residence of one Om Prakash. Alongside the cash, several documents related to flats and land were also found at Om Prakash’s location and are currently under examination.
The ED also confiscated digital devices, laptops, and critical documents from individuals associated with third-party assessment companies involved in the scheme. These materials are expected to provide further evidence of irregularities and possible fraud in the implementation of Ayushman Bharat.
What has raised serious concerns is that Ashish Ranjan, from whose premises ₹16.5 lakh was recovered, draws a monthly salary of just ₹50,000. Investigating agencies suspect that the seized cash may represent only a fraction of a larger sum allegedly siphoned off through corrupt practices within the scheme.
Ashish Ranjan was appointed in 2019 during the tenure of then Civil Surgeon Dr. Vijay Vihari Prasad. As per official guidelines, the position required an MBA degree. However, it is alleged that Ranjan submitted a fake MBA degree from an institute in Darbhanga to secure the job.
He is now facing serious accusations not only of mismanagement and malpractice under the scheme but also of wrongfully claiming incentives. The ED is continuing its probe into his role and the wider scope of the suspected scam.