Police yesterday caught a sub-assistant community medical officer of Patiya Upazila Health Complex on charges of taking bribe and possessinggovernment medicines.

The officer is Biplob Chowdhury aged around 60.

On information, a ruling party local lawmaker, Shamsul Haq Chowdhury, made a surprise visit to the health complex at around 2:00pm and witnessed that Biplob was taking money from patients although treatment is provided for free of cost there.

“Biplob used to take Tk 20 toTk 30 from every patient and he also kept medicines worth around Tk 25,000,” Shamsul said quoting the locals, adding that he informed police of the matter.

Patiya Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Majharul Islam said they also seized medicines worth Tk20,000 from the emergency ward of the health complex, he added.

Medical Officer Dulal Prasad Bhattacharya said Biplob did not take money from any patient.

He said some samples of drugs from different companies were kept with the government ones.