Arvind calls for suspension of Delhi Chief Secretary over alleged hospital scam

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has forwarded a report to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) concerning an alleged hospital tender scam linked to the Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, sources said. According to the sources, the Chief Minister has called for the immediate removal and suspension of the Chief Secretary.

Vigilance Minister Atishi sent a supplementary report related to this to CM Kejriwal yesterday. Earlier, Delhi Vigilance Minister Atishi has raised serious allegations against Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, claiming that the latter unfairly benefited his son in getting a tender from the Delhi government, among others. Minister Atishi has submitted a supplementary report to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, with all the accusations against the chief secretary mentioned on it with various details.

It was alleged by the Delhi Government that Naresh Kumar's son Karan Chauhan's company MetaMix was allegedly tasked with the job of making an AI software "without tender" from the Delhi government's ILBS Hospital. Also, it was alleged that the company made windfall profit worth hundreds of crores from it. Naresh Kumar. the Chief Secretary of Delhi, is also the Chairman of ILBS Hospital.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government's Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) Hospital on Friday refuted the claims of Vigilance Minister Atishi and said that Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar's son Karan Chauhan is not related to the hospital in any way.

The hospital further clarified that Karan Chauhan is not a signatory to the MoU.

"It is being circulated that ILBS has given work to one AI software company without tender. It has been alleged that this company belongs to Karan Chauhan, who is the son of the Chief Secretary. Karan Chauhan is not a signatory of the MoU. Karan Chauhan is not connected with the company with which ILBS signed the MoU, as he is neither a shareholder nor a director, partner, employee or functionary in the said company. This is false reporting," it added.

The supplementary report submitted by the Delhi Minister dated November 16, 2023, stated that Naresh Kumar's son's company was allegedly formed only seven months ago and had no experience in making AI-based software.

In her supplementary report to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Minister Atishi recommended that the Chief Secretary be immediately removed from his post and disciplinary action be taken against him. Also, she recommended that the agreement between MetaMix and ILBS Hospital be terminated and the matter be referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Earlier on November 16, the Delhi Government referred the matter of the Rs 850 crore alleged land acquisition scam in the Dwarka Expressway project to CBI.

This came a day after Delhi Vigilance Minister Atishi submitted the preliminary report to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the alleged involvement of Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar in enhancing an exorbitant compensation award for a land parcel in Bamnoli village in order to provide illicit profits to a company linked to Naresh Kumar's son, Karan Chauhan.

These allegations had been rubbished by Delhi Additional Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar. Speaking to the media on November 13, he had said that the allegations of links between Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and owners of a piece of land acquired for the Dwarka Expressway in the national capital, are "false and baseless" The Delhi Additional Chief Secretary had said that the Chief Secretary's character is being assassinated.

"This press conference had to be done because several misconceptions and lies are being spread. So, it is necessary that facts that are on record be presented before you and the truth reaches people. The character assassination of the Chief Secretary is being done, false and baseless allegations are being levelled against him," Ashwani Kumar had said.