Sting op: Lab technician caught taking bribe

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 20

In a sting operation carried out today by Civil Surgeon Jasbir Singh Aulakh, a lab technician of the Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, was caught taking bribe for turning a positive report of the dope test into negative.

An applicant complained to the Civil Surgeon that he went to the hospital to get his dope test done and a lab technician asked for bribe from him and assured him that the test would come negative even if he get the same done after consuming alcohol. He, in turn, asked for a bribe of Rs 3,000 from him.

A seven-member committee was formed to carry out the sting operation. Its members included SMOs Mandeep Sidhu, HS Sood and Deepika Goyal, deputy mass media officer Rajinder Singh, district community moboliser Amandeep Singh, Pakhowal CHC’s radiographer Prabhjot Singh and computer operator Mandeep Singh.

An amount of Rs 3,000 was given to the complainant and photocopy of the currency notes was kept. The applicant went to the hospital, got his test conducted and took the report.

The lab technician sent a Class IV employee at the main gate of the hospital, before going himself there. Later, he went to the spot and collected Rs 3,000 from the applicant while hiding behind an ambulance. The team caught him red-handed while taking the bribe from the complainant.

The Civil Surgeon has prepared a report and sent the same to the Director, Health, and further action will be taken after getting directions from the latter.

“I received a complaint a few days ago that the report of an applicant has been turned negative, though he was under the dose of intoxication. I directed the SMO, and his test was repeated and the second time, the test came positive and it was found that the applicant was under the influence of four types of drugs,” Dr Aulakh said.

Now, the Civil Surgeon said after deciding a specific time span, all dope tests done during the period would be conducted again. He would also recommend the authorities to cancel arms licence of applicants that later turned positive.

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