'Sisodia's remarks on L-G not wanting probe into COVID deaths misleading': Sources

NEW DELHI: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's statement that the Lieutenant Governor and the Centre do not want a probe into "deaths due to shortage of medical oxygen" during the second Covid wave here is "misleading", sources at the L-G office said on Friday.

The sources said "neither the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) nor the central government has said that the deaths allegedly due to oxygen shortage should not be probed".

The response comes after Sisodia earlier claimed that Lt Governor Anil Baijal has again rejected the Delhi government's proposal to form a panel to investigate the deaths due to oxygen shortage in the national capital.

"We had resubmitted a file for the constitution of a panel to probe the deaths due to oxygen shortage. The LG is saying that there is no need for that," he said earlier in the day.

The minister also charged that the Centre was not allowing the AAP-led Delhi government to investigate the matter although it was asking the states to furnish the number of such deaths.

"The statements made by the Deputy CM are misleading to say the least. Neither the L-G nor the Government of India has said that deaths due to oxygen shortage should not be probed," the sources said.

They further added that a high-level committee constituted as per the Supreme Court directions wherein apart from senior and reputed doctors, additional chief secretary (Health) of the Delhi government is also a member, has already been looking into the matter.

The panel has submitted its interim report and is working on the final report, they said.

The L-G as well as Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya have reiterated that the said committee should be allowed to do its work, they said.

"Setting up of another committee for the same purpose will only create confusion," the sources added.

The Delhi government has also been advised to follow the directions of the courts in the matter, they said.

A four-member expert committee was formed by the AAP government in June to look into the deaths due to shortage of medical oxygen.

The panel was later rejected by the L-G.