Arrested on graft charge, Himachal health director sent to five-day police remand

Bhanu Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Simla, May 26

Himachal Pradesh Director of Health Services Dr Ajay Gupta, who was arrested by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on May 21 after a video recording in which he was purporedly seen asking for Rs 5 lakh went viral, was remanded to five-day police custody by Special Judge (Forests) on Tuesday.

After his arrest, Dr Gupta had complained that he was a diabetic. He was admitted to Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital here and discharged on Monday.

The vigilance bureau had sought police remand for his interrogation and the court accepted the plea.

Dr Gupta filed a bail application, which would come up for hearing on May 28 next. The vigilance bureau has already seized the mobile phones of Dr Gupta and another person, allegedly close to a BJP leader, and sent them to forensic lab for retrieving deleted data.

The case has become sensitive and may lead to exposure of some politicians and alleged irregularities in purchases in the health department.