Venugopal removes AIIMS Registrar; Slaps show cause notice

New Delhi, July 8 (UNI) In his first administrative decision after resuming duty and High Court stay on his dismissal, AIIMS Director P Venugopal today removed institute registrar V P Gupta and slapped a show cause notice on him seeking within two weeks an explanation on release of salaries to doctors involved in anti-quota agitation.

''Mr Gupta has been served a show cause notice and asked to explain within two weeks the confusion regarding the release of salaries to the doctors who participated in the anti-quota agitation. Till then Mr Gupta's junior will take over his duties,'' AIIMS spokesperson Shakti Gupta told UNI.

However, he clarified that Mr Gupta has not been dismissed and had only been asked to stay away from his duty for two weeks.

''When a show cause notice is served a person is asked to relinquish duty for the period he submits an explanation.... This is standard practise,'' he added.

Dr Venugopal resumed duty this morning after the High court stayed his dismissal yesterday.

Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, who is on a war path with Dr Venugopal, had stopped salaries of the doctors for the strike period of almost 16 days, saying ''no work no pay'', despite court orders that no punitive action will be taken against striking doctors, .

Dr Venugopal was criticised for allowing the almost 16-day anti-quota reservation in May to be run from the institute's premises and ''being lenient '' with the agitating doctors and students.

On July 1, there were reports that the Dr Venugopal had ordered the release of the salaries to the doctors.

However, the next day his office denied the reports and even the administration did not release the salaries, saying the matter was pending in court.

After joining duty, Dr Venugopal only cleared some files in his office, sources in his office said.

''He came in at about 1200 hrs for about half an hour and cleared some file... There were some administrative issues which needed his immediate attention'' they added.

After the court order, the Director had said he would not compromise on the dignity of the Institute and continue to fight for its autonomy. He had said he would ignore the ''personal humiliation meted out to him'' Dr Venugopal was dismissed on Wednesday by the AIIMS Institute Governing Body, headed by Dr Ramadoss, for violating the code of conduct of the premier institute.

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