The CBI raided the residence of former health secretary Tarun Seem (above) on Thursday.

In yet another blow to the Aam Aadmi Party, a close aide of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former health secretary Tarun Seem is under CBI scanner for alleged irregularities in hiring three private security firms for seven government hospitals in the city.

The CBI on Thursday conducted raids at six places, including Seem's residence and his office at the Delhi secretariat, in connection with the said scam. The investigative agency claims the 'fraud' cost the exchequer Rs 10.5 crore.

A case has been registered against Seem, a 1992-batch IRS officer, and the three firms - Knightwatch, Innovision and SIS India - that were contracted to provide security.

"The firms were engaged to augment security in emergency areas of Delhi government hospitals and huge loss was caused to the exchequer. The total cost of the work was approximately Rs 10.50 crore," a CBI official said.

SEEM HEADS AAP'S MOHALLA CLINIC PROJECT

Sources said that Seem, who now heads the AAP government's flagship Mohalla Clinic project, was appointed as the health secretary out of turn as this position is reserved for IAS officers. He was on temporary deputation as health secretary in February 2016, when the then secretary Amar Nath had gone on leave. His position as secretary was confirmed in April. He was later removed from the post by then LG Najeeb Jung.

Seem being an IRS officer and close to Kejriwal, who himself was an IRS officer, was also made director of Directorate general of health services (DGHS). This position was specially created to accommodate him and did not exist under the previous regimes, claimed a senior officer.

According to the case filed on Thursday, proper procedures were not followed in the hiring of the security agencies and they were paid a premium. It is being probed if authorities gave the contract for any personal benefit.

However, a Delhi government official told Mail Today that the move was taken by the Delhi government after several instances of violence at government hospitals. "To ensure better safety and security of doctors and patients, security agencies were hired at higher rates but their contracts were not renewed," said an official.

"After the strikes by doctors, the best security agencies were hired -agencies that provide security in hospitals such as AIIMS and private hospitals - but their rates were higher than our tender rates. So, they were given a special contract for six months. After the contract period was over, it wasn't renewed," the official said.

AAP HIRED BOUNCERS FOR Rs 40,000?

The case came under CBI's scanner after the LG office found that order to hire them was "illegal". Before demitting office, then Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung had written to CBI to register a case against erring officers for carrying out recruitment of bouncers in city hospitals. Sources in Raj Niwas said that around 40 bouncers were hired by the health department last year without prior approval and were deployed across the city hospitals with high footfalls.

A source said that AAP government hired bouncers at a salary between Rs 30,000-40,000. These bouncers were removed after the high court ruled that Lieutenant Governor is the administrative head of Delhi.

Mail Today contacted Seem for his version but he remained unavailable.

Reacting to CBI raids, AAP accused the Centre of misusing CBI against its party leaders. "As soon as everything returned to normal in AAP; the central government left its parrot (CBI) behind Satyendar Jain. They keep disturbing us and we keep working," senior party leader Sanjay Singh tweeted.

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