Ghost faculty: PMC chief takes on minister

Aditi Tandon

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 25

In an open dare to Punjab health authorities, the state medical council chief has written a strong letter to Medical Education and Research Minister Anil Joshi objecting to his interference in the ongoing probe against ghost faculty in medical colleges.

GS Grewal, in his letter (a copy has been marked to the Medical Council of India), has expressed shock at the Punjab minister's recent orders "giving a virtual clean chit to the ghost faculty under investigation" and said there was no going back on the probe as the matter warranted action under the Indian Medical Council Act and the rules of medical ethics.

"I am shocked over your good self issuing ex parte orders without giving me a chance to be heard whereas you gave a hearing to those who are accused of serious unethical practices," Grewal said in his letter maintaining that the minister and the state government could intervene in the issue only after the council has taken action.

"The government cannot prevent the process from being conducted by the statutory body," Grewal said refusing to stall council proceedings against ghost doctors as earlier ordered by the minister.

The PMC had earlier identified 400 ghost doctors in medical colleges across Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and commenced a probe besides sending show-cause notices to some top practitioners in the state for alleged unethical practices of receiving commissions on diagnostics.