Bangalore:
Fifty two doctors posted at various government hospitals in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka have been booked for illegally drawing special allowance granted to them for their stay in rural areas and rendering emergency services.
These doctors have availed the special allowances ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 besides Rs 3,000 paid for being available for emergency medical services though they did not stay in the areas where they were posted, according to a release issued by Lokayukta Police.
The doctors claimed the allowance from August 1 2011 and March 29, 2012.
The government has been extending rural area allowance of Rs 7,000 to ensure that they compulsorily reside at the place of posting.
Doctors with post graduate qualification get Rs 8,000, super speciality doctors Rs 10,000 and those without diploma or post-graduation, but have served for five years in rural areas, get Rs 5,000 per month under this scheme.
This is apart from Rs 3,000 paid per month for attending emergency services.
Based on information that doctors were not staying in rural areas and were unavailable for emergency services but continued to draw special allowances, Lokayukta police conducted checks and found out that these doctors were not staying in rural areas.
The doctors have caused Rs 29.49 lakh loss to the exchequer by illegally claiming these allowances.
The Chikkaballapur Lokayukta Superintendent of Police M Krishnappa has registered cases against the doctors under various sections of IPC including section 13 (1) c of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the release said.