Ranchi, April 28 The Jharkhand High Court on Monday stayed the state government's order removing Dr Raj Kumar as the Director of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, with immediate effect.
The court observed that the manner in which Dr Raj Kumar was removed was legally untenable, stating that a stigmatic order could not be issued without following due process.
On April 17, Jharkhand Health Minister and RIMS Governing Council Chairman Irfan Ansari issued an order relieving Dr Raj Kumar from his post.
The government order cited alleged non-compliance with directives issued by the Council of Ministers, the Governing Council, and the Health Department, and described his service as Director as unsatisfactory.
Referring to the RIMS manual, the government order stated that Dr Raj Kumar was being removed with immediate effect, with three months' salary and allowances. It also mentioned that the decision had the approval of Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
Dr Raj Kumar challenged the removal in the High Court. In a strongly worded reaction, he termed the move “autocratic” and said he was taken by surprise.
Hearing the petition on Monday, Justice Deepak Roshan stayed the government's order and issued notices to the state government and other parties, seeking replies through affidavits.
The court remarked that proper procedure must be followed for such removal, emphasising that no individual can be dismissed in a stigmatising manner without being heard.
The next hearing is scheduled for May 6.
The sudden removal of Dr Raj Kumar from the post of RIMS Director had sparked a major political controversy in Jharkhand.
Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, alleged that Dr Raj Kumar was ousted for refusing to clear payments of several crores of rupees to private diagnostic centres under pressure from the Health Minister and officials.
Dr Raj Kumar was appointed RIMS Director on January 31, 2024. Prior to that, he served as a professor in the Department of Neurology at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow.
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