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Administrator
violated MCI norms, accuses former advisor
Rita
Dutta - Mumbai
The
much tarnished image of Medical Council of India (MCI)
now receives another blow with its administrator Major
General (Retd) S P Jhingon being accused of indulging
in malpractice, by his former advisor Dr Amitabh Verma.
Jhingon was asked to hold on the reins of MCI when the
Delhi High Court asked the then president Dr Ketan Desai
to step down, after being accused of corruption.
According
to an MCI member, in the general body meeting of the council
held on October 16, three major accusations levied against
Jhingon by Dr Verma were looked into by the council and
were found to be true. In his resignation letter dated
27 September, Dr Verma had accused Jhingon of deliberately
not filing an affidavit in the Supreme Court, withholding
from taking action against two medical colleges violating
MCI norms, and of having "closed door meetings".
Interestingly, Dr Verma in his letter admits that Jhingon
had appointed him in June, 2002, after Jhingon obtained
permission from the Delhi High Court to appoint an advisor
on medical matters.
In
his letter, Dr Verma had accused Jhingon of having "vested
interests" in non filing of the affidavit in the
Supreme Court, which resulted in MCI losing a case in
March, this year. "A group of medical graduates practitioners
from Commonwealth of Independent State (CIS) medical colleges,
who were refused registration, approached the Supreme
Court, challenging MCI’s decision. As there was no
proper representation from MCI, the court asked MCI to
register the students," said the source. In his letter,
Dr Verma accuses that Jhingon’s "mal fide deliberate
non-action" which "resulted in allowing students
to get themselves registered as medical practitioners,
without having any science subjects in 10+2 exams, having
failed in science or had not secured even 50 per cent
in 10+2."
Verma
has further alleged Jhingon of being lax with two medical
colleges, one in Maharashtra and another in Uttar Pradesh,
while cracking the whip on three medical colleges in Andhra
Pradesh. When EHM contacted Dr Amitabh Verma, he said,
"Though two colleges were found to be violating MCI
norms, my advice to take action
against
them fell on the deaf ears of the administrator."
To which the MCI member added, "Council record revealed
that action was supposed to be taken against a college
in Uttar Pradesh, under section 10 (B)of IMC Act, for
which a notice was required to be served to the college
authorities. However, documents revealed that Jhingon
had given instruction to the administration of the council,
not to initiate any action under sec 10 (B). The college
authorities in the meantime obtained a stay from the court,
so that MCI could not initiate any further action."
Jhingon
had been further accused of having closed door meetings
with college authorities. "In the general body meeting,
Jhingon admitted that he had opened the office on a Sunday
to give permission to a student going to a CIS college.
Why the partial treatment to a selected few?" asked
the MCI member. Interestingly, Jhingon has denied that
Dr Verma has resigned and wrote a termination letter on
30 September saying that as per the power vested on him,
he is releasing Dr Verma from his services. When the latter
retaliated, Jhingon on October 8 wrote: "I am surprised
to read the allegations, these are false and baseless"
and that Dr Verma had "back-dated" his resignation
as an afterthought.
When
EHM contacted Jhingon, he denied all the allegations,
saying, "The accusations are false. I have nothing
to hide. I do not have any closed door meetings, I meet
any common man, who comes to see me. I use the same yardstick
for all the colleges, whether they are in a city or in
a village." He also refuted that there was any delay
on his part to file an affidavit in the case regarding
students of CIS colleges. In an interview given to EHM
in July, Jhingon had complained, "The council members
refuse to acknowledge there is any corruption in the MCI.
They openly question the authority of the administrator."
When asked what could be the possible motive behind the
members not only defying him, but accusing him of malpractice,
he replied," When they want to show the door to a
gentleman, they adopt such techniques."
While
Jhingon continues to hold office, the impact of the accusations
is yet to be felt. Said Dr (Mrs) M Sachdeva, secretary,
MCI, when asked whether any kind of action would be taken
against the administrator, "What can the council
do? The administrator is a court appointee." Jt secretary,
Dr K Arora refused to comment.
However,
according to sources, MCI is going to use the allegations
levied on Jhingon in favour of the ongoing case in the
Supreme Court. However, Jhingon puts a brave face saying,
"I am appointed by the Delhi High Court and only
it can remove me."
Administrator
charged of:
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Delaying in filing affidavit in the Supreme Court,
which resulted in MCI losing a case
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Being lax with two medical colleges
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Having closed door meetings with college authorities
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