Rajkot: Serious allegations of corruption have emerged from AIIMS Rajkot, centering on its former executive director Dr. CDS Katoch. Reports have emerged that Dr. Katoch misused his position to illegally appoint his own son, Bhavesh Katoch, as a Class II administrative officer, despite Bhavesh reportedly suffering from severe medical conditions, including vision impairment and epilepsy.

Documents that have come to light reveal that Bhavesh Katoch holds a 60% disability certificate for vision problems affecting both eyes. Moreover, medical papers from AIIMS show he has been on anti-epileptic medication (Lamitor OD 200) for 17 years.

During the recruitment process, Bhavesh is said to have hidden his medical history in a self-declaration form. Instead of undergoing the required medical examination at the Civil Hospital, the check-up was done internally at AIIMS, where Dr. Katoch could allegedly influence the process.

The controversy does not end there. It has also been uncovered that former administrative officer Jaydev Wala, who was close to Dr. Katoch, allegedly helped his brother, Ranjit Wala, secure a job as junior warden. Official recruitment rules required at least two years of warden experience in a college, which Ranjit did not have. To bypass this, a certificate from a private hostel was submitted as proof, raising questions about the integrity of the hiring process.

It is noteworthy that earlier this year in January, the Union Health Ministry prematurely terminated Dr. Katoch, who had claimed that he had resigned from the post in October last year. Now, the case has raised concerns that many appointments at AIIMS Rajkot might have been made in favour of insiders and family members, sparking serious questions about governance and transparency in one of the country’s premier medical institutions.

Reacting to the exposé, Rajkot Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister Parsottam Rupala confirmed that he has received a complaint about the matter. “The matter has been brought to my attention, and I have ordered an inquiry into the matter and action against the people involved,” he told the media. DeshGujarat