3 civil surgeons found guilty of fraud, one faces demotion

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 25

Three civil surgeons, who got promotion allegedly on the basis of fake disability certificates, have been exposed in a probe conducted by the state government.

The authorities had ordered fresh medical examination following the complaints that Dr Balwant Singh, Dr Arun Kumar Gupta and Dr Parvinderpal Singh, who are currently serving in Kapurthala, Sangrur and Ludhiana, respectively, are not physically challenged to the extent of being eligible for quota promotion, yet all of them got the benefit on fake certificates.

As per the report submitted by Government Medical College, Patiala, Dr Parvinderpal Singh, Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, was found 24 per cent disabled as compared to the certificate of 45 per cent. His certificate had mentioned that he was suffering from forward bending of spine and ankle disability. He has now become ineligible for disability quota promotion.

As per the disability certification guidelines, any person having only more than 40 per cent physical disability is eligible for the promotion under the quota.

The percentage of disability of Dr Balwant Singh, Civil Surgeon, Kapurthala, has been reduced by 13 per cent from 53 to 40.6 percent. He can retain the post as his disability is determined above 40 per cent after the review.

The disability of the Sangrur Civil Surgeon could not be determined as the case was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, on the pretext of non-availability of a neurologist. The sources said the actual reason behind referring the case to the PGI was because of the fact that the previous disability was determined by the same orthopaedics department of Government Medical College, Patiala, which was asked to do the fresh probe.

As per a list of government physically challenged doctors prepared on January 17, 2013, only Dr Balwant Singh was among the six doctors who were placed in the disabled category. The remaining two, Dr Gupta and Dr Parvinderpal Singh, were included in the list just before their promotions were due.

Satish Chandra, Additional Chief Secretary, Health, confirmed the findings of the re-examination and said that they would forward the report to the CMO and Commission for Disability from where they had got the directions to probe the matter.

‘Fake’ disability certificates

• As per norms, those having more than 40 per cent physical disability are eligible for the quota promotion.
• Dr Parvinderpal Singh, Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, has been found 24 per cent disabled as compared to the certificate of 45 per cent. He has become ineligible for promotion. 
• The percentage of disability of Dr Balwant Singh, Civil Surgeon, Kapurthala, has been reduced by 13 per cent to 40.6 per cent. 
• The case of Sangrur Civil Surgeon has been referred to the PGI, due to non-availability of a neurologist.