251 Bowring Hospital staffers in a soup as appointments are questioned

The HC issued notices through Commissioner of Police, Bangalore, on August 26, and ordered them to appear before the court within five days of receiving the notices.

Background

K P Rajan, a physiotherapist retired on January 2006 from Bowring hospital. Incidentally, there was one sanction post. The Government continued his services on contract basis for 11 months from March 20, 2006 to February 20, 2007. Rajan submitted a requisition to Dr Shetty requesting extension of his service for five years, permissible under Rule 15 of Karnataka Civil Service General Recruitment. He also sent a copy to secretary of the Medical Education Department (MED).

Two first division clerks N T Thimmappa and G H Lokesh allegedly demanded Rs 15,000 bribe to process the application, but Rajan refused and lodged a complaint with Dr Shetty, hospital sources revealed.

The MED wrote to Dr Shetty on February 21, 2007, through Director of Medical Education (DME) for his remarks on continuation of Rajan’s services. Interestingly, two private physiotherapists (Rajshekhar and Shariff) were appointed a week before the contract ended. Khaza Mohinuddin, the then X Ray technician, who had been given the charge of physiotherapy department after Rajan’s retirement, allegedly played a role behind such appointment, said the sources.

The hospital allowed the physiotherapists to collect fees ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 100 and on an average, between 30 and 50 patients would visit the physiotherapy department.

The two FDAs wrote a letter to Dr Shetty and DME, taking signature of 251 employees alleging that Rajan was misbehaving with women patients and harassing his colleagues. Dr Shetty recommended against extending Rajan’s services.

Rajan sought permission from the Government and filed criminal petition before the 11th AMCC court. He filed criminal revision petition before the Fast Track Court after the ACMM court rejected his petition. However, the FTC decided to partly admit the petition. Rajan challenged both the verdicts in the HC, said sources.

Bangalore Medical College Director Dr G T Subash repeatedly wrote a letter to the Bowring Hospital Medical Superintendent (Dr Shetty and Dr H Satish Chandra, the present MS) to conduct inquiry against the illegal appointment. Both allegedly neglected the directives, revealed the sources.

When contacted Dr Shetty and Dr Satish Chandra sought time to comment.
The HC has left out 11 staff members as their names and designations are not clear.