Govt illegally closed graft cases, HC told

A petition has been moved in the Delhi high court alleging that the Union Health Ministry illegally closed graft cases and connected disciplinary proceedings against some former senior officials of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences ( AIIMS) without the approval of the competent authority -- the prime minister.

The application, by an NGO in its main petition for expeditious and objective investigation into alleged corruption cases in AIIMS during the years 2012- 14 involving senior bureaucrats, is expected to be heard on Monday by a two- judge bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar.

The NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation ( CPIL), has claimed that all the corruptions cases, some in relation to over Rs 6,000 crore worth infrastructure development in the institute, against the bureaucrats were illegally closed without following the due procedure and without approval of the competent disciplinary authority -- the prime minister as he is in- charge of the Department of Personnel and Training. The NGO has sought directions to Centre to immediately refer cases of corruption to the competent disciplinary authority for passing well reasoned orders.

The application claims that former Union health minist as well as the CBI had recommended major penalty proceedings against some AIIMS officials in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the AIIMS. Mr Nadda had earlier termed the plea a “move to malign” the incumbent.