Thread by @SaketGokhale

Exclusive on PM CARES ventilator scam:

New info on how OVER 3000 crores have allegedly been embezzled in PM CARES scam using ventilators, hiding figures, & stonewalling RTIs.

I'll start with a brief background & lay out the new revelations: 👇

Let's start with the basics first.

On 24th Mar, 2020, the Modi govt banned the export of all types of ventilators owing to a massive shortage in India.

Then, on 31st March, Govt of India placed an order for 40,000 ventilators from BEL-Skanray (30,000) & AgVa (10,000)

(1/13)

Now, on 23 June, @PMOIndia issued a press note saying:

- 2000 crores paid by PM CARES for 50,000 ventilators

- Suppliers are BEL-Skanray (30,000) & AgVa (10,000)

Note: Of this PM CARES order, 40,000 ventilators are the SAME as ordered by Govt. of India in March.

(2/13)

So, of the 50,000 PM CARES ventilators, 40,000 had already been ordered in March from Govt. of India money.

Did PM CARES allot 2000 crores for just 10,000 ventilators?

Or did PM CARES reimburse Govt of India for the 40,000 ventilators?

We don't know.

(3/13)

The ventilators ordered by Govt of India/PM CARES cost approx 1.5-2 lakhs per ventilator in the market.

We don't know how much Govt. of India paid for 40,000 ventilators in March.

But in June, PM CARES claims to have paid 4 lakh/ventilator (over 2x the market price).

(4/13)

To sum it up:

A. Govt ordered 40,000 ventilators in March (30,000 BEL-Skanray) & (10,000 AgVa)

B. PM CARES says it ordered 50,000 ventilators in Jun (of which 40,000 have ALREADY been ordered by Govt in Mar)

C. PM CARES paid 4 lakhs per ventilator which costs ~ 2 lakhs

(5/13)

Now, PM CARES claimed on 23rd June that 2923 ventilators manufactured & ONLY 1340 delivered.

But a week earlier, BEL-Skanray tells me in RTI that just they manufactured 4000 PM CARES ventilators as of 15 June.

PM CARES was LYING about the 2923 manufactured number.

(6/13)

As of June-end, 50,000 PM CARES ventilators had NOT been delivered.

Similarly, 40,000 Govt of India ordered ventilators had ALSO NOT been delivered.

Actually, ONLY 6% of these ventilators had been manufactured until June.

ONLY 6%. Between March to June.

(7/13)

This means that we're already under-producing Make-In-India ventilators & are way below the target of 50,000 ventilators.

Yet something VERY strange happened 2 days ago.

The Modi govt. has abuptly lifted the export ban on Make-in-India ventilators

(8/13)

So we haven’t manufactured or delivered enough ventilators to meet the Govt of India order of 40,000 or the PM CARES order of 50,000.

But the Modi govt. is already allowing exports again when cases are rising.

And therein lies the embezzlement as you'll see below.

(9/13)

ALL ventilators ordered by Govt/PM CARES are non-BiPAP.

In layman terms, it means that they cannot supply oxygen without the risky invasive process of tubing which carries a lot of danger.

Doctors in India treating Covid-19 prefer non-invasive BiPAP ventilators.

(10/13)

Without consulting doctors or experts, PM CARES paid 2x the market price for 50,000 non-BiPAP invasive ventilators which are useless. Some of these have also been flagged as sub-standard.

Why was this done? To embezzle money, of course!

(11/13)

PM CARES has spent 2000 crores on 50,000 useless invasive ventilators. Indian hospitals don't want them.

With the lifting of the export ban, these same ventilators will be exported at market price (2 lakhs/ventilator) netting an additional profit of 1000 crores.

(12/13)

Ergo, ventilator cos. got 2000 crores from PM CARES for 50,000 useless overpriced ventilators.

These were never delivered & will be exported at market price netting additional 1000 crores.

THEREFORE: a total of 3000 crores has been neatly embezzled through PM CARES.

(13/13)

PS: I'd funnily predicted a month ago that these useless PM CARES ventilators will eventually be exported.

Had also said "Nice scam Modi".

Oh well...