New Delhi, Feb 23 (IANS) A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a CBI inquiry into various cases of irregularities and corruption in AIIMS raised by then anti-graft officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi.
The public interest litigation (PIL), which is expected to come up for hearing Wednesday, has sought a revival of all cases in which action were initiated by Chaturvedi before he was sacked by then union health minister Harsh Vardhan in August last year from his post as chief vigilance officer of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) in its petition contended that Chaturvedi started initiating action in the corruption cases related to various malpractice including "supply of dubious medicines by a private chemist shop, having influential political nexus, role of middlemen in making fake out patient department (OPD) cards".
The PIL filed by advocate Prashant Bhushan, also a member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), asked Health Minister J.P. Nadda to recuse himself from all cases and from acting as a disciplinary authority, alleging that he "unfettered powers to influence the course of proceedings in all the corruption cases".
Bhushan alleged that Nadda actively participated in dismantling the newly set up vigilance administration and halted all inquiries initiated by Chaturvedi by writing numerous letters to various central ministries from May 2013 to June 2014.
The PIL alleged that "in many cases, investigation has been slowed down", relating to serious irregularities including "wastage in purchase of surgery equipment and other medical items, use of fake propriety certificates in purchases, irregularities in recruitment/appointment including consultants, irregularities in computerisation work, irregularities and breach of confidentiality in exam process, unauthorised foreign visit of senior faculty members in violation of MCI regulations".
Any type of corruption in such a premier institute is likely to have a direct and severe bearing on health and well-being of thousands of patients visiting the institute, the petition stated.
Earlier this month, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to the central government asking it to immediately relieve Chaturvedi, who is now the deputy secretary at AIIMS.
In his two-year stint as anti-graft officer at AIIMS, Chaturvedi had successfully completed more than 150 investigations in which officials were charged and penalised.
He was conducting investigations in several other corruption cases when he was moved out on the orders of the health minister.
Last year, the AAP along with more than 200 AIIMS faculty members, researchers and scientists had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding that Chaturvedi, be reinstated as the chief vigilance officer at the institute.
Danger: The first case of Corona Delta Plus found in Madhya Pradesh, confirmed this variant in a 65-year-old woman from Bhopal
The second wave of corona infection in Madhya Pradesh may have weakened, but the danger remains. Concern has increased with the arrival of new Delta Plus variant cases of Corona in the state. The
PM Himachal Visit: Prime Minister Modi will give these 5 gifts to Himachal including Vande Bharat today, and will also fill the election slogan
Narendra Modi Himachal Visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give many big gifts to Himachal on Thursday before the assembly elections. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of several
Global companies involved in Pakistani propaganda: From KFC to Pizzahat, Pakistan supported Pakistan on Kashmir, the demand for boycott arose in India
The controversy that started with the social media post of South Korean company Hyundai on Kashmir has become even bigger. Now its JD has also included KFC, Pizza Hut, Osaka Battery, Isuzu D-Max,
Charge increased on main accused Chauvin, 3 other policemen will also be tried
Washington. The third-degree charge of murder on police officer Derek Chauvin, the main accused in the case of the death of black George Floyd, has now been increased to second degree. Second degree
Disappointed by Railway Budget: Nitish
Patna, Feb 26 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Thursday said that he was disappointed by the "incomplete" railway budget for 2015-16 as there was nothing new in it."I was disappointed by
India have to still beat two big favourites (Column: Just Sport)
Almost a month before the World Cup got under way, when most people were writing off India’s chances of defending their title, two grey-haired individuals said on a television talk show that
Uttarkashi is boiling in the 'fire' of Love Jihad, Muslim traders in fear of the Mahapanchayat of June 15.
Love Jihad in Uttarkashi: The cases of Love Jihad have raised concern in Uttarakhand. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is also keeping a constant watch on this. In the last five months, about 46
Indore's excise constable found to be a millionaire
Indore, Feb 24 (IANS) A raid at the house of an excise department constable in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city Tuesday revealed that he actually owned property worth crores of rupees.The revelation
DU Admission: Delhi University will release second list for PG admissions today, will be able to check like this
Delhi University Admission: Delhi University will release the second admission list for postgraduate admissions on Wednesday, December 7. Candidates who have applied for admission to postgraduate
Deepak raised hope, he has won Lucknow: In the 18th over, he hit a six, overcome the pressure, Lucknow again defeated CSK
Rohtak's Deepak Hooda, playing for Lucknow Supergiants in IPL 2022, was instrumental in the team's victory over CSK. At a time when the team needed 46 runs in three overs. In such a situation, Deepak
