KSSSCI director removed from post
LUCKNOW: In the first such action in Uttar Pradesh, the head of an institute was removed from his post in connection with anomalies in purchase of equipment for Covid patients.
Prof Shaleen Kumar, director of the Kalyan Singh Super Speciality Cancer Institute (KSSSCI), was removed from his post on Thursday after a probe found irregularities in duty.
The charge of the institute has now been given to PGI director prof RK Dheeman with immediate effect, according to an order issued by Alok Kumar, principal secretary, medical education department, on Thursday.
A three-member committee was formed by the state government and the director general medical education was directed to conduct a probe on June 17, 2021, for violation of rules laid down by the state along with serious laxity in performing duties.
The report was submitted on July 30, which cited irregularities and a show cause notice was issued to prof Shaleen Kumar. On August 21, prof Kumar sought four weeks’ time to file a reply.
On Thursday, the principal secretary, medical education,, issued an order to remove prof Shaleen Kumar from the post of director.
However, he continues to work as faculty in the radiotherapy department. “Finding that the irregularities brought out by the probe committee report were serious, a decision was taken under KSSSCI by-laws rule 27(4) after sanction from the appropriate authority, to remove prof Shaleen Kumar from the post of director KSSSCI,” said the order.
Prof Dheeman will hold the post till further orders or appointment of a new director.
The finance officer (FO) of the institute had also raised the issue of ‘forged signature’ of a key member of pre-purchase committee (PPC) and reported that the purchase was made reportedly without signatures of a key member of the PPC.
SSCIH director prof Shaleen Kumar refuted the charges. “The documents of all the purchases by the institution are correct and as per the rules laid down in the general financial rules,” he said.
On April 12, the institution was asked by the state government to start a 100-bed Covid facility with 20 ventilator-supported beds.
The FO had made a primary investigation into the matter and cross-checked the signatures on the minutes of the pre-purchase committee meeting.
As a member said signatures for four items were not original but appeared to be ‘forged’, the entire purchase came under the scanner.
The purchases include 101 items of hospital control consumables and surgical consumables, 194 items of medicine, 17 equipment and a separate list of 27 equipment.
The signatures for purchase of 31 furniture items for the hospital have not been questioned as they have been accepted by the members. The FO has also recommended that signature of another member who has now left the institute should be verified via a finger print expert as the member is no longer with the institute.