Health Secy submitted false affidavit in HC: Bharadwaj
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 6
Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday accused the Health Department of filing false affidavits and misinforming the Delhi High Court without his knowledge.
‘Not shown to me’
An affidavit was presented before the Delhi High Court on behalf of the Health Department, but despite being the Health Minister, neither was that affidavit shown to me nor was it approved by me. — Saurabh Bharadwaj, health minister
L-G Secretariat rejects charge
Yet another misleading and false statement made by the ‘Press Conference Minister’, this time to not only mislead the people of Delhi but the judiciary as well. — L-G Secretariat
The Delhi High Court is hearing a petition regarding availability of ICU beds in Delhi Government hospitals.
Bharadwaj said the Health Secretary had quietly filed a false affidavit with the help of the standing counsel from the Services Department under the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G).
The petition dates back to 2017, and on May 24, an order was passed by the High Court directing the Delhi Government’s Health Department to report on the actions taken based on the recommendations made by Dr SK Sarin’s committee.
He claimed that an affidavit was submitted through the Services Department. “For months, I have been writing letters and sending data to the Chief Secretary about the severe shortage of medicines at hospitals and mohalla clinics. Despite this, an affidavit approved by the Health Secretary was submitted in the High Court, falsely stating that all medicines were available,” he added.
The Health Minister highlighted that the shortage of doctors, specialists, paramedics and medicines in hospitals was concealed from the High Court, causing further difficulties to patients.
Additionally, he stated that a file, which was never presented, was shown as pending with the Health Minister, suggesting a deliberate conspiracy to implicate him.
“I informed the Delhi High Court through my affidavit that the major problems related to ICUs and operation theatres in Delhi hospitals are primarily due to the acute shortage of doctors, specialists, paramedical staff and technicians,” he said.
“This is a conspiracy to submit false information to the court to provoke an adverse observation,” he alleged.
“I am writing to the Law Department to take strict action against the Health Secretary for submitting incorrect facts and misleading the court,” he added.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the minister appears to be completely frustrated, as he holds press conferences day after day, criticising the L-G, government officials and the BJP.
“During Bharadwaj’s tenure as Health Minister, Delhiites have witnessed scams in mohalla clinics related to pathological tests, X-rays and the distribution of spurious medicines from government hospital counters,” he said.
In response to Bharadwaj’s claims, Raj Niwas officials said, “Yet another misleading and false statement has been made by the ‘Press Conference Minister’, this time not only to mislead the people of Delhi but the judiciary as well. This Secretariat will respond substantively to statements made by the Health Minister where substantive points are raised, not to the inanities of the ‘PC Minister’.”
