High Court fumes at Ayush boss

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad,March29:The AP High Court on Friday expressed anguish over the Ayush commissioner, Dr Vijay Kumar, for providing false information in the court. The court asked the Advocate-General to frame appropriate petition against the officer, who it said, made deliberate attempt to furnish false information to it.
A division bench comprising Justice Meena Kumari and Justice G Chandraiah,while dealing with a petitionfiled by Dr TK Srinivasulu challenging the policy adopted by the Medicaland Health department for thepromotions of professor, pulled the commissioner for furnishing falseinformation to the court.
The bench was of the view that the officer had forged the records andattempted to abuse the process ofthe court and tried to interfere in the administration of justice.It may be mentioned that on earlier occasion the court asked thegovernment pleader for services, MrShivaji, to furnish the details of vacancies of professors in the department.After obtaining the information Mr Shivaji told the court that there wereno vacancies in teaching side and ifthe petitioner opted for a non teaching post he will be considered for thepromotion.
Based on the information the petitioner opted for the non teaching postand at the same time another twoprofessors also opted for the non teaching post. The departmentalpromotion committee subsequentlydenied the promotion to the petitioner.Dr Srinvasulu had suspicion on the episode and applied through RTI Act toget information of vacanciesavailable as on August 28, 2007. The information commissioner furnishedthat 26 posts of professors arevacant on the date. The petitioner informed the same to the court.The court felt that a special bench had to be constituted to deal with thecase and summoned thecommissioner to appear before it. He appeared on Friday.
Justice Meena Kumari asked, "why you have given such false information tothe court".Dr Vijay Kumar said he never said there were no vacancies of professors.Soon after the reply of theofficer the counsel for the services Mr Shivaji was also shocked.He told the court that after a telephonic conversation with the officer heinformed the court about thevacancy position.Justice Meena Kumari assured the counsel that "we will protect you. Weknow that how can you say onyour own unless and until the officer told you."
The court directed that the Chief Secretary allot the files relating tothe case to some other officer otherthan Dr Vijay Kumar.The court asked advocates Dr K Lakshmi Narasimham and Kailash Reddy toassist the court in the caseand directed Dr Vijay Kumar that he appear again on Thursday before thebench.