Rajasthan doctor arrested for ₹1,800 bribe at Rajsamand govt hospital
Synopsis
A government surgeon at R.K. Hospital, Rajsamand, was caught red-handed by the ACB accepting a ₹1,800 bribe — split across two instalments — to perform a cyst-removal surgery that should have been free. The case spotlights the persistent problem of informal payments in Rajasthan's public healthcare system, where patients have little recourse when doctors make surgery conditional on cash.
Key Takeaways
Pankaj Jain , Junior Specialist (General Surgery) at R.K.
Government Hospital, Rajsamand , was arrested on 20 July by the ACB .
Jain had demanded ₹2,000 , later negotiated to ₹1,800 , to perform a cyst-removal surgery near a patient's right eye.
He accepted ₹500 as advance payment and was caught collecting the remaining ₹1,300 in an ACB trap operation.
A case is being registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act ; interrogation and investigation are ongoing.
The ACB operates a 24×7 toll-free helpline 1064 and a WhatsApp helpline at 9413502834 for bribery complaints.
A government doctor in Rajsamand, Rajasthan, was arrested on Monday, 20 July by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) after being caught red-handed accepting a bribe of ₹1,300 — the remaining instalment of a ₹1,800 demand made to perform a routine cyst-removal surgery on a patient's son. The accused, Pankaj Jain, a Junior Specialist (General Surgery) at R.K. Government Hospital, Rajsamand, had originally demanded ₹2,000 for the procedure.
How the Trap Was Laid
The ACB Rajsamand unit received a formal complaint alleging that Jain was conditioning a surgical procedure — removal of a cyst near the complainant's son's right eye — on a cash payment of ₹2,000. The bribe demand was first verified under the supervision of Rameshwar Singh, Deputy Inspector General of Police, ACB, Udaipur Range. The trap operation itself was led by Himmat Charan, Additional Superintendent of Police, ACB, Rajsamand.
During the verification phase, Jain negotiated the amount down to ₹1,800 and accepted ₹500 as a part payment. The ACB then laid a formal trap and arrested him while he collected the remaining ₹1,300. The earlier ₹500 instalment was also recovered from the accused.
Legal Proceedings Underway
A case is being registered against Jain under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He is currently under interrogation, and the ACB is conducting a detailed investigation into the matter. The operation was carried out on directions from the ACB Headquarters, indicating it was centrally coordinated rather than a local initiative alone.
Pattern of Bribery in Public Healthcare
This incident is part of a broader pattern of corruption complaints in Rajasthan's public health system, where patients — often from economically vulnerable backgrounds — reportedly face demands for unofficial payments to access surgeries and procedures that are legally free of charge. The ACB has been running targeted trap operations across the state to address such systemic issues.
ACB's Appeal to Citizens
The Anti-Corruption Bureau has urged citizens to report bribery demands through its 24×7 toll-free helpline 1064 or its WhatsApp helpline at 9413502834. The Bureau assured that complaints will be acted upon and that citizens' legitimate government work will be facilitated without any corrupt interference. The arrest of Jain is expected to serve as a deterrent to others in the public health system.
Point of View
800 bribe for a government surgery that costs the patient nothing legally is not just a corruption case — it is a failure of public healthcare accountability. The fact that the demand was negotiated downward, accepted in instalments, and involved a specialist at a district government hospital suggests this was not an isolated lapse but a practised routine. Rajasthan's ACB has ramped up trap operations, but arrests alone do not fix the structural absence of patient grievance mechanisms at the ward level. Until hospitals have independent, empowered complaint officers and doctors face departmental action alongside criminal prosecution, such arrests risk becoming periodic optics rather than systemic deterrents.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested in the Rajsamand ACB bribe case?
Pankaj Jain , a Junior Specialist (General Surgery) posted at R.K. Government Hospital, Rajsamand , was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau on 20 July . He was caught accepting a bribe of ₹1,300 — the second instalment of a total ₹1,800 demand — to perform a cyst-removal surgery.
What was the bribe demanded and why?
Jain allegedly demanded ₹2,000 , later settled at ₹1,800 , to perform a surgery to remove a cyst near the right eye of the complainant's son at the government hospital. The surgery is legally free at a government facility, making the demand an act of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
How did the ACB catch the doctor?
After verifying the bribe demand under the supervision of DIG Rameshwar Singh , the ACB laid a trap led by ASP Himmat Charan . Jain had already accepted ₹500 as advance payment; he was arrested red-handed while collecting the remaining ₹1,300 .
What legal action is being taken against Pankaj Jain?
A case is being registered against Jain under the Prevention of Corruption Act . He is currently under interrogation, and the ACB is conducting a detailed investigation. Both the ₹500 advance and the ₹1,300 collected at the time of arrest have been recovered.
How can citizens report bribery demands in Rajasthan?
The Anti-Corruption Bureau operates a 24×7 toll-free helpline at 1064 and a WhatsApp helpline at 9413502834 . Citizens can report bribery demands through either channel, and the Bureau has assured full assistance in ensuring government work is completed without corrupt interference.
