Forced to give Rs 70K to Ropar Civil Surgeon, claims ex-SMO

Ropar, December 17

A former Senior Medical Officer (SMO) of the Nangal Civil Hospital has levelled serious allegations of bribery against Ropar Civil Surgeon Parminder Kumar. The authorities have transferred the latter to Fazilka despite the fact that he is scheduled to retire next month.

The Vigilance Bureau has also started investigation after receiving the complaint.

The Civil Surgeon, however, denied the allegations and said that he would go to the Principal Health Secretary of the Health Department and Health Minister and explain the things to them tomorrow.

Dr Naresh Kumar, who had retired as an SMO on November 30, in his complaint filed on the Chief Minister’s portal has alleged that the Civil Surgeon used to force doctors in various hospitals to pay him bribe. “Being an SMO, I had to give him Rs 70,000 on three occasions because he used to threaten me,” alleged Dr Naresh Kumar.

He further said that the Civil Surgeon often transferred duties of doctors in the hospital and demanded money to cancel these. Sometimes, he transferred their duties to jail and demanded bribe for cancelling these, he alleged.

Dr Naresh also claimed that he had recordings and some details of bank accounts of the Civil Surgeon as evidence to prove his allegations.

Ropar Vigilance DSP Vinod Kumar confirmed that he had got the complaint and Dr Naresh had been asked to submit all evidence to prove his allegations.

While Health Minister Balbir Singh didn’t pick his phone despite several messages and phone calls, Health Department Director Arshpal Kaur feigned ignorance over the issue and said that she had no such information and could comment only after going through the office records.