Mayo Hospital MS 'taken into custody' in anti-corruption inquiry

LAHORE: A controversy at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital deepened on Monday after Medical Superintendent Dr Abdul Mudabbir Rehman was taken by Punjab’s Anti-Corruption Establishment for questioning in connection with an inquiry into alleged corruption at the hospital.

The development followed the circulation of a video on social media that purportedly shows an exchange of money inside the MS office. Anti-corruption officials reached the hospital and took Dr Rehman for questioning as part of an ongoing investigation. He was questioned over bribery allegations and CCTV footage said to be linked to the matter.

However, the Anti-Corruption Establishment had not publicly stated the precise allegations against the medical superintendent or the legal status of the proceedings at the time of filing. A later clarification from the Director of the Anti-Corruption Establishment, Lahore, said Dr Mudabbir had not been taken into custody and had only been called to the ACE office for questioning. ACE sources added that he was expected to return to his office after the questioning was completed.

Complaint seeks transparent inquiry

The inquiry stems from a complaint submitted to the director general of the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment, seeking what it described as a transparent and impartial investigation into alleged corruption, abuse of authority and misuse of official powers at Mayo Hospital.

A copy of the complaint shows the social media video appears to show a hospital vendor giving cash to a hospital employee in the presence of the medical superintendent. The complainant alleges that the employee seen receiving the money is associated with the MS.

The complaint asks investigators to secure the original video, have it forensically examined and determine whether any offences under anti-corruption laws were committed. It also calls for scrutiny of an alleged financial transaction involving Rs300,000 said to have been received by a hospital employee whose monthly salary is about Rs35,000.

The complainant has asked the authorities to establish the source of the money, the purpose of the payment and whether any public official or private individual gained unlawfully from the transaction. The application further alleges that other videos and audio recordings contain conversations about financial dealings involving the MS and his driver. It requests that the material be preserved, subjected to forensic analysis and made part of the formal inquiry, with legal action to follow if evidence of corruption, abuse of authority or loss to the public exchequer is found.