New Delhi, Nov 6 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Friday that it has attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs 3.14 crore of Om Prakash Choudhary, former Medical Superintendent of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra in connection with a cheating case.

The ED said in a statement that it attached the properties under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case of criminal misconduct and cheating.

The attached properties are in the form of plots and flats in Patna, Ghaziabad, Pune and Bengaluru while the movable assets are in the form of three four-wheelers and balances in bank accounts.

The ED had registered a case against Choudhary and others on the basis of FIRs registered by the Special Vigilance Unit of Bihar.

It said that during investigation, it was revealed that medicines, chemicals, equipment, machines etc. were purchased by the officials of PMCH during the period between 2008-09 and 2009-10 from the local vendors or commission agents in contrary to the guidelines prescribed for purchase of these items.

"It was further revealed that during the period 2008-09 and 2009-10, Choudhary, who was the then Deputy Superintendent, the then concerned faculty head of PMCH and others in connivance with the suppliers had purchased medicines, chemical reagent, and other equipment at higher rate and in much higher quantity than the required quantity which resulted in loss to government exchequer," it said.

"Investigations conducted so far resulted in identification of assets totalling to Rs 3.14 crore," it added.