The Delhi Government has once again asked the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change to depute Sanjiv Chaturvedi, who was removed as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of AIIMS around four months back, as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the office of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Rajendra Kumar, secretary to the Chief Minister, has written to Ashok lavasa, Secretary in Union Environment and Forest Ministry, to relieve Chaturvedi at the earliest. “Kejriwal had written to the Union Environment and Forest Minister requesting services of Chaturvedi to work as OSD in his office. However, no response has been received in the matter,” Kumar said in his letter written on February 28.
According to sources, the Haryana Government has already given cadre the clearance and consent for deputation of Sanjiv Chaturvedi up to June, 2016, and the Union Health Minister had himself sought the reversion of his services from the present posting in June, 2014.
“In view of these facts, there does not appear to be any impediment in relieving Chaturvedi on the request of Delhi Government. This is more so in the light of assurance of the Central Government to extend all possible cooperation to Government of NCT of Delhi,” Kumar said.
The secretary to the Delhi CM also said, “I request you (lavasa) to kindly look into the matter personally and get the officer (Chaturvedi) relieved at the earliest.”
Chaturvedi, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officer, is currently deputy secretary of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Kejriwal had on February 16 written to Union Environment and Forest Minister Prakash Javadekar seeking services of Chaturvedi as an OSD in his office. It is noted that DoPT has reportedly to decline Kejriwal’s request regarding Chaturvedi’s case as the matter is pending before CAT.
In August last year, the Health Ministry had removed Chaturvedi as CVO of AIIMS and thereafter, then Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said he was “not eligible” for the post.
JP Nadda, then BJP’s general secretary and now the Union Health Minister, had earlier written to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) last year objecting to Chaturvedi’s appointment as both Deputy Secretary and CVO of AIIMS. After his removal, the AAP had come out in support of the officer and alleged “victimisation of an honest officer at the behest of BJP members”. AAP had also demanded Vardhan’s resignation over Chaturvedi’s removal.