CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Government has decided to issue a notice to A.K, Kundra, former Health Secretary to the State Government, after an enquiry has indicted him for gross irregularities in nominations to Punjab medical colleges during 1990-91, according to A senior Government spokesman. A notice seeking explanation would be sent to him soon, An inquiry was ordered into the “bogus” nominations by Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.
S.S.Boparai, an IAS officer of the commissioner rank, was asked to conduct the inquiry. In his report submitted to State Chief Secretary A.S. Chatha, Boparai is believed to have indicted former Health Secretary. Reportedly, Punjab Health Minister Lal Singh, who did not enjoy cordial relations with Kundra disclosed the racket of bogus nominations and Kundra’s involvement in it. Once the contents of the inquiry are known, many heads are likely to read.
The minister had gone off record to reveal that six cases nominated in the MFBS course by the former Health Secretary had submitted bogus certificate. In one case, the name of the candidate in the final list was replaced by that of his father. Another candidate had not even passed the plus two examination, which is the pre-requisite to taking the pre-entrance examination, In another case, the father of a girl was supposed to be dead and the girl was claiming advantage of being kin of a victim of militants but the father of the girl himself appeared before the minister to seek help for his daughter.
Once, the minister had made the allegations, Kundra went to the Press to issue a rejoined that he was not involved in the case and he had never approached Lal Singh to scuttle the inquiry. He even claimed that was he who brought the irregularities to the notice of the minister.
After Kundra’s outburst the personnel department of Punjab Government issued circulars to, IAS officers to refrain from going to the Press on any issue and adhere to service rules.
Article extracted from this publication >> Aug 7, 1992
