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Jamshedpur: Govt doctor files case against ex-health minister in CJM court
A government doctor has filed a complaint against ex-Jharkhand minister Banna Gupta for criminal intimidation and defamation, alleging false accusations led to his suspension.
A government doctor living in Adityapur has lodged a complaint case in the court of Jamshedpur Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) against former Jharkhand health minister Banna Gupta, Pawan Kumar, and Vijay Verma, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
The complainant, Dr Mrityunjay Singh, has alleged criminal intimidation, defamation, and misuse of official position by the three accused.
“A complaint has been lodged in the CJM court against three persons, including former state minister Banna Gupta. The first hearing on the matter was held on Friday. The next hearing will decide whether the case will be heard in the CJM court or transferred to the special MP-MLA court in Chaibasa,” Saurav Sinha, Dr Singh’s lawyer, told the media on Saturday.
Senior Congress leader and former minister Banna Gupta could not be contacted despite repeated calls and voice messages by HT on Saturday.
Dr Singh has lodged the case under 17 sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS)—356(1), 356(2), 352, 198, 201, 202, 351, 203, 316(5), 318, 45, 61, 199, 224, 227, 232 and 248—for offences including criminal intimidation, conspiracy to defame him, levelling false allegations, threatening him, tampering with evidence, producing false witnesses, breach of trust by a government employee, and violation of government orders.
“The three accused levelled false allegations against me by misusing their posts, damaging my social reputation. They harmed me socially and mentally by fabricating fake witnesses and false statements, which led to my removal from the health department post,” Dr Singh has stated in his complaint.
The state health department had suspended Dr Singh on January 1, 2025, on charges of being absent from duty without information and not registering biometric attendance.
However, according to Dr Singh’s complaint, the departmental inquiry found that he had completed 262 days of duty between September 2023 and July 2024, and the hospital management confirmed his regular attendance, as reflected in the roster. Based on the inquiry report, the health department acknowledged that the allegations were baseless and reinstated him by cancelling the suspension order.
