“The allegations were found false and baseless, as per the committee report, which was submitted to the senior officials of the department”
Sanchita Raina
Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department has apparently put the much hyped enquiry report, about vandalism of Principal office of the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H), on the back burner.
According to highly placed sources in the Health Department, the enquiry report that was submitted by the high level fact finding committee was in favour of the ‘suspended’ ex-Principal, Dr Zahid Gillani.
“The report also stated that the incumbent principal, Dr Sunanda Raina had lobbed frivolous and false charges against the senior doctor,” claimed sources, adding that because of political clout of Dr Sunanda, the enquiry report was not made public.
Talking to The Typewriter, a senior doctor wishing anonymity revealed that former Principal of GMC&H Dr Sunanda Raina had leveled serious allegations of vandalism against her predecessor, Dr Zahid Gillani.
“On her allegations of vandalism of Principal’s office and brandishing revolver to terrorize staff, the government suspended Dr Gillani and also constituted a high level committee to probe the allegations,” said the senior doctor, adding that political interference in hushing up the matter cannot be condoned.
Doctor stated that the entire episode appeared politically motivated with ulterior intentions.
“When Dr Zahid, who was principal of the GMC&H in 2017, was out of station, the then Health Minister ordered Dr Sunanda Raina as the new Principal of the college,” said doctor, adding that Dr Gillani was not aware of this development, so when he came back, he went into the principal room.
Senior doctor further shared that Dr Sunanda was informed about the presence of Dr Gillani in the Principal office.
“In her allegations, Dr Sunanda had stated that when she entered into the office, she saw the office was vandalized and Dr Gillani was sitting on the chair with revolver on his side,” maintained the senior doctor, adding that on the basis of such allegations, a high level committee was constituted.
Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department constituted a committee comprising Dr Saleem-Ur-Rehman, then Director Health Services, Kashmir, Nasir Ahmed, Additional Secretary Health and Medical Education Department and Zahoor Ahmed, Director Finance. They were charged with the responsibilities to look into the allegations of the former Principal.
Expressing disdain over the functioning of H&ME Department, the senior doctor said that if a committee was constituted to verify the facts, then people and doctors have the right to know the findings of the committee.
“If there was anything against Dr Zahid, then why has he not been punished for vandalizing the government property and terrorizing the staff, including then Principal of the college,” questioned the senior doctor.
Meanwhile, a senior officer of H&ME Department and privy to the development, wishing not to be named, claimed that there was nothing against Dr Zahid.
“The allegations were found false and baseless, as per the committee report, which was submitted to the senior officials of the department,” said officer, adding “The members of the committee had given clean chit to Dr Zahid and stressed that the action should be taken against Dr Sunanda Raina for hatching conspiracy and lobbying frivolous allegations against the senior doctor.
Senior officer further claimed that due to political and bureaucratic patronage, no action was taken against Dr Sunanda Raina and the matter was hushed up.
“Then Financial Commissioner had favoured Dr Sunanda by not taking any action against her,” he said.
Pertinent to mention that on March 17, 2017, Dr Zahid Gillani was suspended over the allegations of gross indiscipline, misconduct and disobedience of Government order no 138-HME of 2017. The then Principal of the GMC&H Jammu, as per Govt. order, Dr Sunanda Raina in her complaint alleged that on March 16, 2017 as she arrived in the office at 9 AM and received a phone call that former Principal is in the PMC’ office, she saw Dr Gillani’s pistol lying on the table beside the room ransacked as the bouquets and decoration were lying scattered on the floor and the chairs were in a distorted manner.
The report submitted by a high level enquiry committee was drafted on the basis of cross examining of the eyewitnesses and also analyzing CCTV footage, besides official records as Dr Gillani had claimed that he was not present in Jammu on the mentioned date.
In the report, which was submitted by the committee on dated 17-04-2017 in the department, stated that the office of the Principal, GMC Jammu received the Order no 138- HME of 2017 dated 13-3-2017 on March 15th, 2017 which is evident from the receipt register (copy of which enclosed herewith) and Dr Zahid Gillani was not available in the office on 15 March 2017.
Dr Zahid in his reply claimed that he had gone to the office of the Principal GMC Jammu on 16 March 2017, for handing over the charge of the Principal. The written statement submitted by Dr Sunanda doesn’t corroborate with her verbal statement given before the enquiry committee to the extent that the entire office was allegedly defunct with telephone wires being removed, interest faculty cut off, her personal files with her personal documents left by her in PMC office on March 15, 2017 were missing.
The statements of ‘witnesses’ cannot be relied upon as the statement given by them seem to be concocted, tutored, fabricated, because of the reason that both the employees could not justify their statements and were not near to the occurrence of the incident i.e. Principal’s room/ table and have seen the incident by peeping in through the corner of the door which is insignificant to be taken into account and has not been established in the CCTV footage.
That using the chair of Principal on 16th of March and making the round in the hospital and asking for attendance register of employees in the Library Department is inappropriate as Dr. Gillani had stated that he just wanted to hand over the charge on 16th March 2017 to Dr. Sunanda.
The enquiry committee therefore concluded that the allegations on Dr Zahid that he put his revolver on the table of the Principal and ransacked the office of Principal were not proved and thus the complaint lodged by Dr Sunanda was not justified.
When tried to contact Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education, Atal Dulloo he was not available for comments despite repeated attempts.
