Vinod Singh, a Samajwadi Party minister, allegedly abducted Dr S.P. Singh, the chief medical officer of Gonda district, in an attempt to force his supporters’ names into the list of contractual doctors under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
Vinod Singh, also known as Pandit Singh, UP minister of state for revenue and rehabilitation, according to reports, created a scare on Monday night when he reached the CMO’s residence in Officers’ Colony in Gonda and bundled him into his SUV. He demanded to know why his aides’ names were not in the list of contracted doctors under the NRHM.
The CMO, who happens to be the secretary of the screening committee on appointment of doctors for NRHM, had released the list of the successful 40 candidates on Monday.
The CMO said the entire process of appointment was computerised and his office staff knew the details.
The minister took the CMO to the residences of two clerks, Sanjay Gupta and Manoj Kumar, and also forced them into his vehicle. He then took all three to the CMO’s office and asked them to show him the hard copy. When he did not find the hard copy, he took all three to the camp office but there was no computer there. The minister then returned to his own office, prepared a list of his candidates and made Dr Singh sign it.
The CMO later called up district magistrate Abhay to report the incident. The matter came to light when a local Hindi daily published a report. The DM confirmed the abduction and said, “We brought him from his camp office in the night and sent him to Lucknow along with some officers, including additional district magistrate C.P.N. Upadhyaya, to ensure his safety. I have informed R.M. Srivastava, principal secretary, department of home, about the incident.”
Meanwhile, Dr Singh said, “The appointment of contractual doctors was done by a six-member committee and complete transparency was observed. I have told my seniors about the behaviour of the minister. I have taken leave and there is no question of my returning to duty before getting an assurance about my security from senior officials in the government.”
Devipatan division commissioner Ashok Kumar said, “I have come to know about the incident. I have asked additional director (health) A.K. Gangwar to submit a report but a written complaint from the CMO is still awaited.”
Officials in Lucknow also said they had sought a detailed report and action would be taken after ascertaining the facts.
The minister, whose name had also figured in the food grain scam being investigated by the CBI, denied the incident. “No such incident took place. My opponents are trying to malign me. I enjoy a very cordial relationship with the CMO,” he told reporters in Gonda.