The Union Health Ministry has initiated a probe into the alleged inflated payments to a legal counsel representing AIIMS, a charge denied by the premier institute which said it has "zero tolerance" for corruption and that the fees paid was as per Law Ministry's guidelines.
"Some complaint had come. We have sought facts from the administrative division. Once we know the facts, then I will be able to respond. Yes, the fact is that we have received the complaints. We have sought comments from AIIMS," said Joint secretary Health Ministry Manoj Jhalani who is also the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) for AIIMS.
According to an RTI query filed by ex AIIMS CVO, Sanjiv Chaturvedi, advocate R K Gupta has allegedly been paid around Rs 1.75 crore by the institute.
Meanwhile, AIIMS today issued a statement clarifying that the AIIMS Legal Cell was handled by Sanjiv Chaturvedi (from Uttarakhand cadre) as Deputy Secretary AIIMS for nearly four years, upto December 2015 and that that the fees paid to the legal counsel was in accordance with the terms and conditions laid down by the Ministry of Law and Justice guidelines.
"All files on the various subjects of legal issues have passed through Chaturvedi including the appointment of the legal counsel. The fees paid to the Legal Counsel is in accordance with the terms and conditions laid down by the Ministry of Law and Justice guidelines based on necessary certificates with regard to effective/non effective hearings furnished by the Counsel.
"All payments made to the Legal Counsel are duly vetted by the Internal Finance Division of AIIMS before payments are made," the statement said.
AIIMS further said that the sharp increase in litigation cases faced by the institute in recent months was due to the large number of cases filed by Chaturvedi in CAT and High Court.
"AIIMS is merely defending its stated administrative positions and has not filed any legal cases of its own. Gupta has effectively defended AIIMS interests in several important cases. AIIMS has a zero-tolerance for corruption," the institute said.
(REOPENS DES 49)
Meanwhile, Sanjiv Chaturvedi in a statement claimed, "As far as recent controversy is concerned, I strongly deny that I had any role in appointment of Mr R K Gupta and basically it was on basis of my complaint that Health ministry was forced to initiate this enquiry and it was because of me raising objections over fake payments to Mr Gupta that charge of legal cell was taken from me in December 2015.
