Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj (Left) and Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena (Right)
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Wednesday approved the suspension of Dr RN Das, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, for his alleged involvement in irregular and illegal registration of private nursing homes.
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The order by the Delhi LG office, dated May 29, 2024, mentioned that LG, Delhi, in the exercise of the powers conferred by sub-rule (1) of Rule-10 of the CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965, hereby, places Dr RN Das, OSD to Minister (Health), GNCTD, under suspension with immediate effect.
It is further ordered that during the period that this order shall remain in force, Dr RN Das shall be Delhi and should not leave the headquarters without obtaining the previous permission of the Competent Authority.
It is also ordered that the said Dr RN Das would be entitled to a subsistence allowance during the period of his suspension in an amount equal to the leave salary which he would have drawn, had he been on leave on half average pay under FR-53, subject to the furnishing of a certificate to the effect that he has not been employed in any business, profession or vocation for a profit/remuneration/salary.
“The immediate cause for placing the officer under suspension is on account of reported misconduct with regard to the unauthorised and illegal running of Jyoti Nursing Home, Shahdara, beyond the valid registration period when he was also Medical Superintendent of Nursing Home Cell,” the LG office said in a statement.
It further added, “The genesis of the matter was a complaint alleging that a Nursing Home named ‘Jyoti Clinic & Nursing Home located at B-32, East Jyoti Nagar’ had been illegally and unlawfully running despite cancellation of its Registration vide Order dated November 27, 2018 issued by the Director General of Health Services.”
It has further been alleged in the complaint that the management of the nursing home had applied for renewal of its license in 2014, which was kept pending by the officials of the Directorate of Health Services for a long time and helped the nursing home run unauthorisedly without a license/certificate, the LG office said further.
Each license is issued to any nursing home for three years. The unauthorised running of the nursing home is attributed to the collusion of the above official of the Directorate of Health Services with the management of the aforesaid nursing home, it added.
In the matter, an enquiry was conducted by the Health & Family Welfare Department, GNCTD, which concluded that Dr RN Das, the then Medical Superintendent (Nursing Home Cell) & OSD to the Health Minister, was solely responsible for the registration of the clinic, the LG office said. It has been alleged that Dr RN Das had worked hand in gloves with the management of the nursing home and provided unlawful shelter by keeping the licence pending unnecessarily.
Subsequently, the Anti-Corruption Branch of GNCTD inquired into the complaint and held that prima facie, it is a case of corruption covered under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and as such detailed enquiry is required to be conducted against Dr RN Das, the then Medical Superintendent, (Nursing Home Cell), the LG office informed.
Health & Family Welfare Department confirmed that Dr RN Das was posted in the Nursing Home Cell w.e.f. 10.01.2011 to 18.05.2015, 31.01.2018 to 02.09.2022. Given the long tenure of Dr RN Das in the Nursing Home Cell, the officer is responsible for the alleged misconduct.
The LG office also said that it is pertinent to state that while members of the NCCSA recommended suspension, disciplinary proceedings and inquiry under 17A of the POC Act, 1988 against Dr RN Das but Chief Minister and Chairperson of NCCSA resisted the proposal seeking certain clarifications in the matter. The clarifications subsequently provided by the Directorate of Vigilance through NCCSA has been accepted by LG which eventually led to the suspension of Dr RN Das.
The fire incident that occurred at the Baby Care Centre at Vivek Vihar on May 25, 2024, at 11:30 pm is the recent instance of callousness on the part of the Nursing Home Cell.
Here also, Dr RN Das had allowed the registration of the nursing home without bothering to ascertain the pending litigation status as well as undertaking given by the nursing home regarding various statutory compliances including fire safety, the LG office said.
Earlier last month, RN Das was issued a show cause notice by the Directorate of Vigilance in connection with the alleged irregularities in the procurement of various items like Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, gloves, masks, and Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits worth around Rs 60 crore during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.
The above incidents point towards the fact that Dr RN Das, who is also OSD to the then Minister (Health) Satyendra Jain and present Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj, has clearly abused his powers, the LG office added.
Reacting to the suspension, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said that this was just the beginning, and in the coming days, the party would demand the suspension of all officials involved in the corruption, from top to bottom.
“Das was a close aide of Delhi’s Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and CM Arvind Kejriwal. We will also demand an investigation into the role of the former Health Minister in 2021, Satyendar Jain, and the local AAP MLA. Whether they are officials of the Delhi Fire Service, or those who signed these files, no one will be spared,” Virendra Sachdeva said.
The AAP Government’s healthcare system in Delhi has faced significant failures. Despite ambitious promises, issues such as inadequate infrastructure, poor quality of care, and financial mismanagement have plagued the system. These shortcomings have led to widespread public dissatisfaction and criticism, highlighting the urgent need for reforms.
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