HC directs govt to file plea in Dr Venugopal case

New Delhi, Dec 1 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today directed the Union Government and Ministry of Health to file their pleas as they were also parties to the petition filed in the single bench which had barred Union Health Minister from discussing the removal of AIIMS Director P Venugopal in the Institute Body(IB) meetings.

A Division Bench of Justice M K Sharma and Justice Hima Kohli asked the Union Health Ministry and other respondents to file their replies by January 11, the next date of hearing.

The AIIMS had challenged the November 2006 order of the single bench of Justice Anil Kumar in the double bench seeking quashing of the order and the court had issued notice to the AIIMS Director.

In July this year, a decision was taken by Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss to sack Dr Venugopal from his post as AIIMS Director. The High court stayed the vdecision following a petition filed by Dr Venugopal challenging the decision for his termination.

After the court's intervention, the government withdrew its decision.

Justice Kumar had also restrained the Minister to discuss Dr Venugopal's termination in any future meetings of the Institute.

UNI PAT YA KN1712