Whistleblower Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi, who took on Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the multi-crore plantation scam in 2009, has been removed from the post of Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here as per orders of the Union Health Ministry.
No cause for transfer statedThe orders issued on August 14, which gives no cause for transfer, state that the Ministry has decided to assign the charge of CVO AIIMS to Joint Secretary /CVO of the Ministry for a period of three months.
“As per Mr. Chaturvedi’s appointment order his tenure is fixed for four years up to June, 2016. The Prime Minister’s Office had given written orders on November 2012 to the Cabinet Secretary to ensure that any proposal to shift Mr. Chaturvedi should be thoroughly examined by the Cabinet Secretary himself in the Civil Services Board and Prime Minister office has to be kept under information – not done in this case,” said a source.
Stating that while Mr. Chaturvedi’s transfer from the post has been done without giving any explanation, a senior faculty at AIIMS said: “This officer took strict action against a private chemist shop (situated near AIIMS) with influential links and also exposed the misdeeds and corruption of several senior AIIMS administrative officials. He is probably being moved because of that.”
Meanwhile, the Annual Confidential Report of Mr. Chaturvedi for 2012-2013 and 2013-14, has been recorded as ‘Outstanding’. Also the officer has received much public praise for his integrity and efficiency.
Another AIIMS faculty member while questioning this move noted: “The Institute had earlier intimated officially that no complaint is pending against Mr. Chaturvedi at AIIMS. So the suddenness and the nature of the transfer is surprising and suspicious.”
