Man who wrote anonymous letter held

Tribune News service

Shimla, August 4

The state CID today arrested the accused, who had shot off an anonymous letter regarding irregularities in the purchase of ventilators by the Himachal Government.

Accused Shadi Lal Tickoo, a resident of Khanpur (Kharar) in Mohali district of Punjab, had worked in Cardio Lab from February 2016 till November 2019, as service in-charge. He confessed to drafting a questioned letter in a cyber café at Khanpur, in which he talked about irregularities in the purchase of 10 ventilators bought at a cost of Rs 10.29 lakh each.

Tickoo was sacked from the lab over a salary issue and other administrative reasons. Being a service in-charge, he had access to the accounts and billing department and retained some official records of the lab after termination of his services.

During the lockdown, he claimed to have destroyed the record. As the earlier purchase was made through the HPSEDC, he addressed the letter to the MD, HPSEDC.

A preliminary inquiry, conducted by the Health Department into the allegations, had not indicated any irregularities, as there was a hue and cry on the issue, the case was given to the CID.

Ventilator scam: Accused belongs to Kharar

Accused Shadi Lal Tickoo, a resident of Khanpur (Kharar) in Mohali district, confessed to drafting the letter in a cyber café, in which he talked about irregularities in the purchase of 10 ventilators bought at a cost of Rs 10.29 lakh each