FIR against two ex-Health Ministers, IAS officer in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Sep 9: A formal complaint has been filed here against two former Jharkhand Health Ministers and a senior IAS official for graft, an official said on Friday.

The FIR in this connection was lodged by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) at the order of the ACB Ranchi court against, among others, former Health Ministers Rajendra Singh, who is a Congress leader, and Hemlal Murmu, of the BJP, and senior IAS official B.K. Tripathy, who is now heading the NCR planning board.

The complaint was lodged against 14 people, including Amul Ranjan, who was appointed Director in-charge of RINPAS in 2014.

There are allegations that Ranjan was appointed as Director in-charge of Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Applied Science (RINPAS) for the second time after having first assumed the post in 2010 which was approved by then Health Minister Hemlal Murmu.

Ranjan was removed after the Comptroller and Auditor General in 2013 objected to the appointment. According to rules, an MBBS doctor should be appointed as Director of RINPAS.

According to sources in ACB, then Health Secretary Tripathy had recommended Ranjan's name for the post and then Health Minister Rajendra Singh gave his approval.

The ACB, while investigating the case, found irregularities in the appointment of Ranjan, who was also appointed as Clinical Psychologist in 1997 wrongfully, the ACB said.

There also were allegations that Ranjan was extended salary benefits and other perks by elevating his post.