Opposition may rake up Satyendra Jain role in OSD post row

New Delhi: With the CBI preparing to examine Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain in connection with the alleged irregularities in the appointment of Dr Nikunj Aggarwal as his OSD, the issue may give fresh ammo to the opposition parties in Delhi ahead of the coming civic body polls.

Sources said, “There are allegations that Dr Aggarwal was appointed as senior resident (Ortho) in Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalya on ad hoc basis on August 10, 2015 even though there was no proposal to engage a SR. Within few days of his appointment as SR, his services were requisitioned for appointment as OSD to minister of health, Delhi government. As per the Residency Scheme, the resident doctors are engaged for working in hospitals, and not for other duties”. The CBI needs clarifications from the health minister regarding this; sources said, adding that Mr Jain will soon be called for the examination.

The CBI recently registered an FIR to probe the alleged irregularities in the appointment of Dr Aggarwal as OSD to Mr Jain. The agency registered the case based on a complaint from Delhi government deputy secretary (vigilance) K.S. Meena. The complaint is now a part of the FIR. BJP leader Vijender Gupta has alleged that Dr. Aggarwal is the son-in–law of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s sister-in-law. Political observers believe that the issue could heat up the political temperature in the poll-bound Delhi. Mr Kejriwal is expected to begin campaigning from March 31 for the MCD elections, which are slated for April 23.

In its complaint, the vigilance department claimed that Dr Aggarwal was appointed as senior resident (Ortho) in Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalya on ad hoc basis. “ No advertisement was issued by the hospital for the selection of Dr Nikunj Aggarwal as SR. No walk-in-interview was conducted,” it alleged. Aggarwal had made a handwritten application on a “plain paper” for appointment in the hospital on August 6, 2015 and within four days his appointment was approved without following any procedure, the complaint alleged. It said that since there was no post available for SR in the hospital, Dr Aggarwal was hired on “strength against faculty (ortho)”.

Meanwhile, the CBI is probing the alleged irregularities committed in the appointment of Mr Jain’s daughter, Soumya Jain, as the advisory in the health department of the city government. The agency has registered a preliminary enquiry into the matter.