Lucknow: Graft slur on KGMU VC, probe ordered

LUCKNOW: On directions of Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the state government has set up a three-member fact-finding committee to conduct preliminary investigations into corruption charges against King George’s Medical University (KGMU) vice-chancellor, Professor MLB Bhatt.
The committee headed by Lucknow divisional commissioner Mukesh Meshram also comprises Director General Medical Education (DGME) KK Gupta and DGME finance director Kripa Shanker Pandey. The committee has been asked to submit its report in 15 working days, stated the government order issued by principal secretary, medical education, Rajneesh Dube.
The PMO has directed the state government to verify the allegations levelled by one Vishal Kumar Singh, a resident of Ambedkarnagar, who in his complaint lodged in December 2019 alleged that KGMU’s radiotherapy department purchased cancer drugs using PM and CM relief funds through local purchase at higher rates even though the same drugs were available at the central drug store of KGMU at cheaper rates.
The anomalies started when Prof Bhatt was head of radiotherapy department and continue till date, Singh claimed in the complaint.
Senior government officials told TOI that the committee will also look into other complaints of corruption against KGMU VC filed over the past few months.
KGMU VC was not available for comments. Registrar Ashutosh Dwivedi said the university has been informed by government about the probe. “We will cooperate with the fact-finding committee,” he said.