Director State Health services,,Ajay Kumar Gupta was arrested on May 20th,by the State Vigilance and anti corruption bureau, after a 43,second audio clip went viral.In this clip Gupta was supposedly heard demanding Rs 5 lakh bribe from a medical supplier.
Suprintendent Police ,Shalini Agnihotri told Indian Express,that the content of the audio clip had been verified by the investigation,.The investigation points towards corruption in purchase of various medical supplies and equipment from February onwards,these purchases involved multiple suppliers including some from outside the state.
The clip however does not reveal identities of the two men heard discussing the deal. ADG, Anurag Gupta,said that Ajay Gupta was arrested after several hours of questioning during which he gave “evasive and misleading answers,and showed selective amnesia in recalling the events of the past few days”.He said that the mobile phone of Gupta and voices of two persons in the audio clip have been sent to a laboratory for forensic examination.
State BJP Chief Rajeev Bindal resigned from his post and in his resignation letter he said he was quitting his post” on high moral grounds because the party’s name was invovled. He told NDTV, “Because I am the BJP State President,and we want this corruption probe to be thoroughly investigated and probed,so that there is no pressure of any kind and the probe is not influenced in any way I am tendering my Resignation keeping in mind High Moral grounds.” He further stated that the scam targeting/implicating BJP is unjust and disrespectful to the dedicated work done by its cadres for the society in the time of Corona virus Pandemic
The 43, second clip had led the opposition Congress to target the ruling Govt in Himachal, with the parties State in charge Rajani Patil,alleging that the person heard asking that bribe is a ruling party leader.The Congress said that the BJP cannot get rid of the “Sin of Corruption”,amid the health crisis and demanded,a probe by a sitting High Court. In a joint statement State Congress President Kuldeep Singh Rathore ,and party leader Mukesh Agnihotri,said CM Jai Ram Thakur, cannot evade moral responsibility,since he held the additional charge of Health Himachal CM ,Thakur on the other hand defended Mr Bindals resignation saying the opposition leaders were falsely implicating the State BJP Chief in the matter.
Congress maintained that the resignation of Bindal, established the allegations of corruption against the State Government.