Himachal Pradesh: 43-second audio clip puts BJP government on sticky wicket

SHIMLA: A 43-second audio clip exposing the prevalence of corrupt practices in the health department amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has put the ruling BJP and chief minister Jai Ram Thakur-led government in trouble as questions are being raised within the party.
Amid mounting pressure from all corners, Jai Ram Thakur is expected to visit Delhi on May 27 where he is likely to apprise the high command about the situation.Though the director (Health Services) has been arrested, but senior BJP leaders like Shanta Kumar want a probe into the matter.
Health Services director Dr Ajay Gupta was arrested by state vigilance and anti corruption bureau on the night of May 20 under Section 7 and 8 of Prevention of Corruption Act. He was in judicial custody due to illness and was admitted at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Shimla from where he was discharged on Monday.
Gupta was produced in the court of Arvind Malhotra, the district and session judge( Forest) on Tuesday. The court has sent Gupta in police custody till May 30 and his bail application will be heard on May 28.
The accused doctor was suspended by the government following his arrest on the allegations of demand of bribe in the audio clip.
The other person in the audio clip, who has admitted to have recorded the telephonic conversation on his mobile phone, is being questioned by the Special Investigation Unit and his phone has also been seized and has been sent to state forensic science laboratory in Junga.
The arrest of Dr Gupta has put the BJP and Jai Ram Thakur led government on sticky wicket as not only Congress but even the BJP leaders are expressing their concerns on the corruption surfacing during Covid-19 pandemic.
Though Jai Ram Thakur, who is also holding the health portfolio had immediately ordered the probe through the vigilance bureau, but Senior BJP leader and former chief minister Shanta Kumar has suggested him to probe the matter by constituting a joint committee comprising honest and able officers.
Another senior BJP leader and former minister Mahender Nath Sofat has started writing blog on social media saying that very less cases against politicians are taken to logical conclusion in Himchal Pradesh while those cases which manage to reach court are later withdrawn by the governments.
AICC secretary and former minister Sudhir Sharma said that in the alleged clip, the suspended sirector is talking to a person about money transaction and the person, who is said to be a political leader and has not been arrested yet, which shows the dilly dallying attitude of investigation and if the second person is not arrested then he can tamper with evidences. He said that had the government been serious on this matter then both the persons would have been arrested together.
While the government is tight lipped on this case, BJP’s chief spokesperson Randheer Sharma, in a statement said that BJP government in the state is firm on zero tolerance policy against corruption. He said that chief minister Jai Ram Thakur is fighting corruption with full force. He said that whenever a corruption matter came to his notice, the CM took immediate action. He said that FIRs have been lodged in santizers supply issue and audio clip issue.