Four-member panel to probe alleged irregularities in purchase of ventilators in Himachal

The Himachal Pradesh government constituted a four-member committee on Tuesday to probe alleged irregularities in purchase of ventilators during its fight against coronavirus in April, an official spokesperson said.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within 10 days, he added.

A committee of health department set up on March 28 at directorate level under the chairmanship of joint director health services directed for purchase of 10 ventilators, out of which seven ventilators were received by the department on April 15 at the cost of Rs 10.29 lakh each, the spokesperson said.

A high-level investigation committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of director industries and controller of stores to probe the alleged irregularities in purchase of ventilators, a spokesperson of the Health and Family Welfare Department said.

Director medical education, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital principal and deputy controller finance and accounts, directorate of medical education are its other members.

Himachal Pradesh state vigilance and anti corruption bureau (SV & ACB) is already probing a health scam, including allegedly seeking bribe by now suspended director health services Ajay Kumar Gupta for making purchase of healthcare equipment and procuring sanitiser at excessive price for the state secretariat.

The health scam took a political turn on May 27, when state BJP chief Rajeev Bindal resigned from his post, saying he was doing so to ensure a proper investigation into the case of alleged corruption by the director.

In a resignation letter sent to BJP president J P Nadda, Bindal said he was tendering his resignation on "high moral grounds" as some people were "dragging the party's name" in the alleged corruption by the health official.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson stated that the health directorate has prima facie not found any irregularity in the purchase of ventilators, the high-level investigation committee was set up for making the whole process more transparent.

Image Credits: PTI