Gaya: A criminal case of fraud and extortion has been registered against Ritu Kumari Sinha, principal of the Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery School, Gaya, a government institute imparting a two-year nursing course with an annual intake of 250 students.

The case was registered at the Civil Lines police station of the town under sections 420 and 384 of the Indian Penal Code. The case was registered on the basis of a written complaint made by Dr SK Chaudhary, the officiating superintendent of the Prabhawati Women's Hospital. The college runs on the premises of Prabhawati Hospital, popularly known as Lady Elgin Hospital.

Civil Lines police station SHO Hari Ojha confirmed the registration of the case against the nursing school principal.

Earlier on Tuesday, district magistrate (DM) Abhishekh Singh, following complaints received against the principal raided the nursing school. During the visit to the school, the DM came across several irregularities including harassment of students.

On basis of complaints of extortion received against the nursing institute officials, the DM ordered a search of the office almirahs. Senior deputy collector SP Pandey conducted a search of the almirahs of the principal's chamber. An unaccounted sum of Rs 1.54 lakh was recovered. The recovered money was put in a sealed cover. The principal has since been absconding. The principal's leave application has been rejected by the officiating superintendent of the hospital.

Besides raiding the Auxillary Nursing and Midwifery School, the DM also inspected Prabhawati Hospital. To his shock, the DM found the oxygen cylinders in the labour room and the operation theatre to be non-functional. Thick layers of dust greeted the DM in the hospital duty room.

As per the contents of a press release issued by NK Gupta, deputy director, public relations, the DM during the inspection found anomalies - the stock register was not properly maintained. The oxygen cylinders turned out to be showpieces and the pulse monitor installed in the hospital OT did not function. The DM was informed that the pulse monitor developed a snag about a year back and it has been defunct since then. The air-conditioners in the labour room and the OT too were not functioning. Doctors were absent and the drug store was found closed.

Infuriated by the condition prevailing in the hospital, the DM ordered salary stoppage of hospital manager Vimlesh Kumar, officiating superintendent Dr SK Chaudhary and Eliyamma, a paramedical employee of the hospital. The trio's salary has been stopped till further orders.