Health Minister’s OSD is suspended by Delhi LG due to purported anomalies in nursing home registration. Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena of Delhi suspended R N Das, the Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD), on Wednesday. Das was allegedly “involved in irregular and illegal registration of private nursing homes,” including the one in Vivek Vihar where a fire claimed the lives of six babies, according to officials.
Bharadwaj responded to the news by saying that the LG was targeting advisors, consultants, and other individuals who the AAP government had appointed in an attempt to seriously disrupt departmental operations and leave the “offices empty.”
“The Hon’ble Lt. Governor, Delhi, in the exercise of the powers conferred by sub-rule (1) of Rule-10 of the CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965, hereby places the said Dr. R.N. Das, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Hon’ble Minister (Health), GNCTD, under suspension with immediate effect,” the Vigilance Directorate stated in its order on Wednesday.
The Lieutenant Governor has directed the Directorate to carry out a “urgent comprehensive enquiry” into nursing home registration under the Delhi Nursing Home Registration Act, 1953 and Rules, the Directorate further stated in a letter to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB). The ACB was also instructed to report on any action taken by June 5.
The hospital fire disaster revealed the criminal negligence, mismanagement, and cooperation of Health Department employees, as stated by the LG, which on Tuesday mandated a comprehensive ACB probe into the licensing and oversight of all private assisted living facilities in the city.