Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has suspended a senior cardiologist over allegations that he misrepresented pacemaker procedures to fraudulently claim funds under the Prime Minister’s Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), charges the doctor has strongly denied.
“We have replied to every allegation with documentary evidence. The matter is under consideration, and we have full faith in the system. Justice will ultimately prevail,” a local news gatherer quoted the doctor as saying.
According to a suspension order issued recently, the Health and Medical Education Department accused Dr Syed Maqbool Ahmad Shah, an associate professor of cardiology currently deputed at Government Medical College (GMC), Anantnag, of “intentional misrepresentation, serious data falsification, and financial fraud”.
The government alleged that Dr Maqbool falsely projected advanced cardiac procedures as standard dual-chamber pacemaker implantations to claim benefits under the PMJAY/SEHAT scheme. It further accused him of compelling patients to bear out-of-pocket expenses, bypassing the institutional procurement system and conducting invasive procedures without adequate clinical justification.
Pending an inquiry, Dr Maqbool has been placed under suspension under Rule 31 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956, and attached to the Office of Government Medical College, Jammu.
The allegations relate to the Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing (LBBAP) procedure, an advanced pacemaker technique that stimulates the heart’s natural conduction pathways to produce a more physiological heartbeat. While conventional dual-chamber pacemaker implantation is covered under PMJAY, LBBAP is not.
According to the probe order, the government found that 103 cases had been booked on the Transaction Management System under the dual-chamber pacemaker package despite physical records indicating that patients had undergone LBBAP procedures.
The inquiry order alleged that the misrepresentation was intended to siphon public welfare funds from the PMJAY/SEHAT scheme. It also cited an instance in which a patient was allegedly made to pay Rs 70,000 to a private company.
Authorities further alleged that Dr Maqbool bypassed the mandatory institutional supply chain and collaborated with private vendors for procuring medical hardware, undermining transparency and accountability mechanisms within the hospital system.
The order also referred to an independent expert evaluation, which reportedly found that 27 of the 55 LBBAP cases reviewed involved patients with normal left ventricular function, raising concerns over whether the procedures were clinically warranted.
However, speaking to The Indian Express, Dr Maqbool denied all allegations and said he had submitted documentary evidence in his defence.
He maintained that LBBAP is an advanced and globally accepted procedure introduced to address limitations associated with conventional dual-chamber pacemakers.
“With a dual-chamber pacemaker, there’s a 20 per cent chance of failure within six months to three years. LBBAP is the advanced procedure that is being implemented worldwide,” he told The Indian Express.
Rejecting claims that the institutional procurement process was bypassed, he said all equipment had been sourced through the government-run Amrit store.
“All these procedures were conducted free and cashless under the PMJAY. There were exceptional cases where patients had to spend some of their own money; even those purchases were done through Amrit,” he told The Indian Express.
Dr Maqbool also argued that laboratory findings alone cannot determine the necessity of cardiac interventions and that several clinical factors influence treatment decisions.
The development has triggered a debate within Jammu and Kashmir’s medical fraternity.
As reported by The Indian Express, some doctors described the action as a consequence of internal rivalries, noting that Dr Maqbool had played a key role in establishing an advanced cardiac unit at GMC Anantnag.
“He is the one who is being credited for setting up an efficient and advanced cardiac unit in GMC Anantnag. His performance and growing clout did not go down well with some people,” a senior doctor told The Indian Express.
US-based Kashmiri cardiologist Dr Khalil Kanjwal also questioned the basis of the allegations. In a post on X, cited by The Indian Express, he said investigators lacked an adequate understanding of left bundle area pacing.
“All our patients who come to my lab for a dual-chamber pacemaker receive left bundle pacemaker. The investigators of this alleged fraud have made themselves a laughing stock,” he said.
However, another doctor defended the inquiry, saying that irrespective of the medical merits of the advanced procedure, PMJAY guidelines must be adhered to.
“Irrespective of whether advanced procedures were needed or not, he has violated the guidelines issued under PMJAY. We need to wait for the decision of the probe committee,” the doctor told The Indian Express.
