Whistleblower denied information about case, termed as third party

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 3

Local RTI activist Ravinder Sultanwind, who blew the lid off the dialysis kit purchase scam, was in a state of shock when he was denied information about the current status of the case terming him as a ‘third party’.

The activist had filed an application in February to know the action taken on the chargesheet issued by the department to two former principals and other employees allegedly involved in the case.

However, the reply stated that information cannot be supplied to a ‘third party’. Sultanwind has now filed a fresh appeal with the principal secretary, medical education and research reasoning that he is not a ‘third party’ as it was on his complaint the enquiry was initiated in the first place.

“As a general resident and a complainant in the case I have the right to know the status of the case when public money was siphoned off. It seems that certain officials are trying to keep the case under wraps to help the guilty,” said Sultanwind.

In 2016, the department chargesheeted two former principals and two clerks who were found involved in the purchase of 1000 dialysis kits at a price of Rs 1750 per kit when the same were available in the market for around Rs 600 per piece.

Later, the vigilance bureau registered a case against one of the two principals’ chargesheeted by the medical education department besides a clerk and the owner of the firm who had supplied the kits.

“The enquiry into the case has been delayed at each step to help the guilty officials to get their pension and other benefits. Now, attempts are being made to hush up the case,” he alleged.