HC seeks Centre's reply on PIL demanding probe into AIIMS graft

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to Union Health Minister JP Nadda on a PIL seeking CBI inquiry into various cases of alleged irregularities and corruption in AIIMS raised by then chief vigilance officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to Union Health Minister JP Nadda on a PIL seeking CBI inquiry into various cases of alleged irregularities and corruption in AIIMS raised by then chief vigilance officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice RS Endlaw also issued notice to ministry of health and family welfare, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) and Chaturvedi, seeking their response within four weeks.

The court has fixed April 22 as the next date of hearing in the matter.

The court notices were issued on a petition filed by NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) seeking 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 AIIMS.

The plea contended that Chaturvedi started initiating action in corruption cases related to various malpractices 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 Nadda to recuse himself from all cases and from acting as a disciplinary authority, alleging that he had "unfettered powers to influence the course of proceedings in all the corruption cases".