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Saryu seeks health minister’s dismissal, Banna slaps legal notice
Jharkhand’s health minister Banna Gupta Tuesday served a legal notice to Independent legislator Saryu Roy, demanding that he tender a written apology or face a defamation suit for maligning his reputation by making false allegations about him.
Jharkhand’s health minister Banna Gupta Tuesday served a legal notice to Independent legislator Saryu Roy, demanding that he tender a written apology or face a defamation suit for maligning his reputation by making false allegations about him.
Roy had accused Gupta of misusing his office and trying to provide a month’s extra basic salary to himself as well as around five dozen employees working in the ministerial wing his department as part of a scheme under which incentive was to be provided to identified corona warriors in the state.
In the notice served by Gupta to Roy through his lawyer Sanjay Mishra, a copy of which was made public by Roy himself, the health minister has demanded apology within three days or face further action.
“...you are demanded herewith to tender your apology to my client in writing as well as by getting your apology published prominently in newspapers and on other media platforms, where you got those false and baseless news published against my client, within three days from the date of receipt of this notice, otherwise be ready to face legal consequences thereof,” reads the notice.
The notice underlined that Roy’s action was punishable under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), apart from being a civil wrong for which they would file a separate suit.
In response, Roy said he would not reply to the notice and would like the health minister to initiate legal proceedings against him.
Earlier in the day, Roy had written to chief minister Hemant Soren seeking dismissal Gupta from his cabinet.
Besides appending documents to prove that money was already transferred to at least 54 employees working in the health minister’s cell, Roy, in his communication, has also accused the minister of tampering with documents by getting his office opened on public holidays on April 14 and 15 to save his skin after he made the issue public.
“His corrupt actions have now been established... Therefore, I request you to sack him from the cabinet and initiate criminal proceedings him,” Roy said in his letter sent on Tuesday.
In response, Gupta said, “It would be premature for me to speak anything on this issue now. I will speak at opportune time. However, I would initiate judicial proceedings very soon. I trust in judiciary. And then, I will put things before the public,” Gupta said.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jharkhand government had announced a month’s basic salary as incentive to health care workers and paramedics, irrespective of whether they were regular or contractual staff. Health minister Gupta allegedly got his own name as well as names of 59 employees in the list of beneficiaries, which included his personal staff and official security guards.
After Roy raised the issue publicly, Gupta claimed that though the process was initiated, no money was paid to any of his staff members. Last week, Gupta said the order has been cancelled as an unnecessary controversy has been raked up by Roy.
However, Roy came up with fresh documents claiming that the incentive money had already been paid to 54 employees from Doranda treasury.
Roy, who was earlier with BJP and is known for his anti-corruption crusade, had rebelled against former chief minister Radhubar Das and quit his cabinet. In 2019 assembly polls, he fought as an Independent from Das’s constituency and defeated him.
