THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister Veena George’s office was embroiled in a controversy after a Malappuram native alleged that he had paid a bribe to the minister’s personal staff member to get a post in the AYUSH department. Haridasan Kummali alleged that he gave Rs 1 lakh to Akhil Mathew who is working as a staff member in the minister’s office and Rs 75,000 to Akhil Sajeev, a CITU leader in Pathanamthitta. He said he gave the money to get a job as a homoeo medical officer for his daughter-in-law, Nitha Raj. Haridasan raised a complaint with the minister’s office after he felt he was cheated, on September 13. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said he was aware of the allegations and let the police conduct a comprehensive inquiry to find out the truth.
Veena George clarified that her office was not misused. “I had inquired about the issue with the personnel staff member. He denied any wrongdoing. We have zero tolerance towards corruption. Wrongdoers will not be spared. An investigation will be conducted to find out the people behind the fake allegation,” said the minister. She denied that Akhil Mathew was her relative as mentioned by Haridasan.
Haridasan said he was approached by Akhil Sajeev with a demand of Rs 5 lakh, after his daughter-in-law applied for the job, in March. Akhil also demanded another Rs 10 lakh when the job became permanent after three years, alleged Haridsasan. He also said that the health department sent a mail intimating about the posting. Later the health department found that the mail was not sent from the official mail ID. The department also clarified that the logo and notification number of the post were fake.
Akhil Mathew, personal secretary of the minister, and Haridasan filed separate complaints with the police to probe the allegation. Cantonment police recorded the statement of Akhil who alleged that the charges levelled against them were fabricated. He said he neither knew Haridasan nor Akhil Sajeev. The police registered a case for cheating against the unidentified accused.
Charges baseless, says health min
Kannur: Health Minister Veena George has demanded a comprehensive investigation into the allegation that her personal staff had received bribe from a person in connection with the appointment of a medical officer. Speaking to reporters in Kannur, she said that she suspected a conspiracy behind the controversy.“As soon as I came to know about the allegation, I had sought an explanation from the staff concerned and lodged a complaint with the police along with the explanation of the staffer. “The person who had raised the allegation was expelled from the party for fraud, earlier. A detailed and proper investigation should be conducted into the allegation and truth should come out,” she said. “If any person has done anything wrong, he will not be protected. Akhil Mathew, the personal staff member, is not a relative of mine and only a staffer,” she said.
Leader of Oppn expresses shock over charges against health minister’s PA
T’Puram: Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan has expressed shock over reports that Health Minister Veena George’s personal staff accepted bribe for posting a homoeo doctor in Ayush department. He blamed the health minister’s office for the inordinate delay in approaching the police with a complaint as the complainant had raised the issue as early as August last week. Satheesan demanded that a probe should be initiated to know whether bribery has occurred in other appointments in the health department. “The health minister should be aware of her personal secretary’s functioning. Is the health minister in the dark as to what’s happening in her office? Sordid stories are coming out from all sections including from the portfolios held by the chief minister. The government and people associated with it are resorting to all types of corrupt practices,” said Satheesan.