Lt Governor Suspends Delhi Health Minister's Aide Amid Hospital Fire Row

A fresh chapter was written Wednesday in the persistent and bitter row between Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena and the ruling AAP, after the former suspended and urged disciplinary proceedings against a senior member of Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj's office. Dr RN Das, an Officer on Special Duty, has been called out over alleged "misconduct with regard to (an) unauthorised and illegal" nursing home.

Mr Saxena has claimed Dr Das - when he was Medical Superintendent of the Delhi government's Nursing Home Cell - kept the Jyoti Clinic and Nursing Home running by delaying renewal of its licence post-2014.

The LG - who has had multiple fiery run-ins with the ruling AAP and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal - cited a civil complaint against the nursing home - that it has been running despite a license called in 2018.

Mr Saxena has alleged the nursing home's management had applied for a new licence - these are issued in three-year blocks only - but this had been kept pending by Dr Das. "Unauthorised running of the nursing home is attributed to the collusion of above official... with management of nursing home..."

"In this matter an inquiry was conducted... which concluded Dr RN Das, then Medical Superintendent (of the Nursing Home Cell)... was solely responsible for renewal of registration. It has been alleged Dr Das... provided unlawful shelter by keeping the license pending unnecessarily," he said.

An earlier initial anti-corruption inquiry had said there is enough evidence to warrant a full inquiry.

Dr Das was posted to the Nursing Home Cell from  2011 to  2015, and from 2018 to 2022. "Given the long tenure of Dr RN Das... the officer is clearly responsible for the alleged misconduct," Dr Saxena claimed.

Action against Dr Das (and, by implication, the Delhi Health Ministry) comes as the LG and the AAP trade blows over a horrific fire Saturday at a private children's hospital.

READ | Delhi LG Takes Swipe At Kejriwal, Orders Corruption Probe Into Hospital Fire

Seven infants were killed in that fire, triggering a massive row as rivals BJP try to score political brownie points with voters ahead of the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

READ | Oxygen Cylinders Began To Explode: When Fire At Delhi Hospital Killed 7

The Delhi LG seemed to link the hospital fire and the alleged licensing failure, declaring "here also Dr Das had allowed registration of the children's hospital without bothering to ascertain pending litigation and statutory compliance status, including fire safety".

"... incidents point to the fact Dr RN Das has clearly abused his powers," Dr Saxena declared.

On Tuesday the LG launched a front attack and declared himself "disappointed" Mr Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Mr Bhardwaj had "paid only lip service and given sound bites (to the press)... and shirked responsibility" since the gut-wrenching incident took place.

He said he had been compelled, "in public interest", to order an anti-corruption probe into possible lapses in registration and regulatory management of Delhi's private nursing homes.

The AAP has not yet responded, but Mr Bhardwaj has ordered a mandatory audit of safety equipment in city hospitals and the Delhi government has initiated a magistrate-level probe.

READ | After Delhi Hospital Tragedy, Minister's Big Order On Fire Safety

In recent weeks Mr Saxena has also stepped into the Swati Maliwal row; he came out in support of Ms Maliwal, who has accused Mr Kejriwal's aide of assault, and claimed himself "deeply distressed".

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