NEW DELHI: Health minister Harsh Vardhan has defended his ministry against the charge of not taking steps to ensure the protection of the chief vigilance officer (CVO) of the Medical Council of India , stating that it was up to the CVO to approach the Delhi Police for his own protection.

Questions have been raised about the ministry allowing an officer fighting against corruption in MCI to be repatriated to his parent cadre instead of supporting him in carrying out his job, especially after Vardhan himself has repeatedly called MCI “a source of corruption”.

After the ministry sought to replace Jethi, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) wrote on October 21 to the ministry to go through the reports of Jethi regarding the threats of victimization by MCI (due to his diligent and honest working) and the pendency of cases with the MCI president Jayshree Mehta (3 factual reports, 12 investigations reports and two permissions for conducting investigations).

The CVC has also asked the ministry to go through Jethi’s report on the violation in due process in the procurement of diesel for generators, purchase of air tickets through a private agency without following norms and about a security service compact running without following norms.

Vardhan admitted that several charges have been made against the MCI and said he has constituted a committee which was in the processing of revisiting the Indian Medical Council Act of 1956 which would take care of all the issues ailing the MCI.

However, Vardhan failed to mention that even within the 1956 Act there is a provision under section 30 for the central government to constitute a Commission of Inquiry consisting of three persons, two of whom would be appointed by the Centre. In case improper action is found by the commission, the Centre can ask MCI to remedy the situation. No such commission as laid down by the law has been constituted by the ministry so far.

