Chairman, secretary of MP Nursing Registration Council removed following HC order

Bhopal (The Uttam Hindu): Complying with the Madhya Pradesh High Court's order, the state administration has removed the chairman of the MP Nursing Registration Council (MPNRC), Jiten Shukla and secretary Anita Chand from their posts. Manoj Kumar Sariyam, who was serving as Additional Director in the Health Services Department, has replaced Shukla as the new chairman of MPNCR. Similarly, ECO of National Health Mission, Krishna Kumar Rawat has replaced Anita Chand as the new secretary. In a notification issued on Thursday, Manoj Kumar Siyaram and Krishna Kumar Rawat have been directed to take charge of their new posts with immediate effect. The development came after a division bench of MP High on December 13 ordered the removal of the chairman of MPNRC Jiten Shukla and secretary, Anita Chand stating that they were themselves involved in the nursing college scam. The bench of Justice Sanjay Dwivedi and Justice A K Paliwal had passed this order observing that Shukla and Chand were involved in one way or the other and their appointment on the key positions in MPNRC was unacceptable.

HC's direction came on a petition filed by the president of the Law Students' Association, Vishal Baghel. He had moved two separate applications seeking the removal of Chand and Shukla levelling specific charges against them for their involvement in the scam relating to the recognition to fake nursing colleges in the state. Baghel had urged the Court to order their removal from the key positions in MPNRC as they could influence the evidence regarding the scam.

Anita Chand was a member of the inspection committee which had submitted a false report on March 4, 2022, on the basis of which RKS Nursing College in Bhopal was given recognition though it was later cancelled, petitioner has submitted. Similarly, the application for removal of Jiten Chandra Shukla said that he was the director of MPNRC when several irregularities were committed in granting recognition to the nursing colleges. After hearing these applications, the court directed the respondents to submit their reply explaining as to why such persons have been placed in important posts of registrar and chairman, MPNRC and orally instructed for their removal. "We cannot allow such officers who were involved in the earlier process of granting recognition to hold such important posts in as much as there is every likelihood that such officers would, not only try to save their skin but also of other functionaries, try to tamper with the material," the Court had said.