2008-09 medical officers’ recruitment: Take action against docs who forged certificates, health dept writes to Punjab DGP

Officials at the health department were shocked to find that despite the case being sub-judice the doctors, whose recruitment was under lens, got promotions and received PG degrees

Of the 32 medical officers named by Special Investigation Team (SIT) which probed the irregularities in the 2008-09 doctors’ recruitment case many have not only been promoted but have also managed to complete their post-graduation on government quota.

Punjab health department on Tuesday wrote to the Punjab director general of police (DGP) to take action against the 32 doctors – who had forged the social service certificates.

A few days back, Punjab Vigilance Bureau had arrested one PPSC member Dr Satwant Singh Mohi, an ex-MLA from Shatrana, while booking SK Sinha, chairman (deceased), Brig (retd) DS Grewal (deceased), Dr Satwant Singh Mohi, DS Mahal and Ravinder Kaur, daughter-in-law of former minister Lal Singh and Anil Sarin, BJP spokesperson.

Officials at the health department were shocked to find that despite the case being sub-judice the doctors, whose recruitment was under lens, got promotions and received PG degrees.

State health department on Tuesday wrote to the Punjab director general of police (DGP) to take action against the 32 doctors – who had forged the social service certificates.

A health official, on the condition of anonymity, said, one of the doctors who was recruited in 2008 and is accused of forging four social certificates is now working as an assistant professor at Government Medical College (GMC), Patiala, getting a promotion from PCMS to the Punjab Medical Education Department. The doctor had completed PG on a government seat after getting a no objection certificate (NOC) from the health department. Similarly, a doctor, who is also accused of forging certificates, is working as an assistant professor in a clinical department of GMC, Patiala.

Back in 2014, the SIT had submitted a report to the Punjab and Haryana high court seeking action against 32 doctors under sections 120-B, 420, 468, and 471 of the IPC.

Notably, 312 Medical Officers (MOs) were recruited by PPSC in two batches. In the first batch, 100 MOs were recruited in 2008. Thereafter, 212 MOs were recruited in 2009. Both these recruitments were challenged in court and SIT was formed to look into this. The SIT, in 2014, had found that both the selection process were full of blatant irregularities.

Meanwhile, accused doctors claimed that they were granted interim relief by the Punjab and Haryana high court in 2016 in a writ petition filed by them after their probation was not cleared.