AIIMS director, facing CBI probe, recommended for Padma Shri

Despite the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing MC Mishra, the controversial director of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Health Ministry has recommended his name for the prestigious Padma Shri.

“Given that the CBI has submitted its report to the Health Ministry, asking it to take appreciate action against the AIIMS director, it seems that Mishra is likely to get a clean cheat. The Ministry is expected to file its closure report soon,” a source in the Ministry said.

Explaining the charges levelled against Mishra, the source said, “It is clear that charges are not as grave as they have been presented. Had it (charges) been so serious, the CBI could have filed chargesheet on its own in the matter, but this is not the case. The agency has sent its report to the Ministry for filing closure report in the case.”

The CBI took cognisance of a complaint sent by AIIMS’ then Central Vigilance Officer (CVO) Sanjiv Chaturvedi, wherein Chaturvedi’s inquiry had indicted the premier health institute’s three officials — store officer TR Mahajan, Amit Gupta and MC Misra. The complaint was sent to the CBI on July 3, 2014.

Chaturvedi, who was removed from the CVO’s post, had indicted Mahajan for purchasing “trivial items from a firm owned by his son by falsely declaring these as propriety items”. His probe found the same “items were being purchased in the main hospital at substantially lower rates”.

The Padma Shri award is the fourth highest civilian award in India, after Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan. 

The award is awarded by the Government of India and it is announced every year on Republic Day—January 26.

The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has decided to procure equipment worth Rs 261.9 crore by the end of this fiscal. “Expenditure incurred on machinery and equipment till December 2015 stands at Rs 71.33 crore. The AIIMS has processed over a 1,000 tenders for procurement and till date nearly 600 tenders have been finalised,” a statement released by AIIMS said.