AIIMS asked to review charge sheet against ex Dy Director

In a significant move, the Union Health Ministry has asked the Director of AIIMS to review the long-pending charge sheet against an ex-Deputy Director of the institute Vineet Chaudhary over alleged administrative irregularities.
"The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has asked Director AIIMS to undertake a preliminary determination of whether charges against Chaudhary merit disciplinary proceedings or not.
"AIIMS has received reminder on May 20, 2015 for urgently furnishing the requisite information to the Ministry," said a senior official at AIIMS.
A complaint was lodged at AIIMS Vigilance office against Chaudhary by NGO Janhit Abhiyan in September 7, 2012 for alleged irregularities in construction work and recruitment etc.

The complaint was investigated by the then AIIMS Chief Vigilance Officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi after which seven charges were found proved against Chaudhary.
These included granting illegal extension to then Superintending Engineer of the institute, purchase of land without proper sanction from government, disappearance of files related to the CVO, illegalities in appointment and payment to the consultants etc, said the official.

The charge sheet was forwarded to then Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Aazad in November 2013 who ordered the Director of AIIMS to submit a report on offences prima facie made out against Chaudhary.
"After that a draft charge sheet was submitted by Director AIIMS in July 2014 to Harsh Vardhan (then Union Health Minister) who approved it in August 2014.

"However, since then the charge sheet was pending between Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC) and Health ministry," the official said.
Meanwhile, the CVO AIIMS on June 5 informed AIIMS administration that the issues raised against Chaudhary do not appear to have a vigilance angle and the Director of the institute may make a preliminary determination of whether the charges merit disciplinary proceedings, said the official.