Himachal BJP chief resigns from post over ‘health scam’

Rajeev Bindal says party has nothing to do with graft case

Days after alleged corruption charges surrounding a deal in the Himachal Pradesh government’s health department surfaced, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s State chief Rajeev Bindal on Wednesday quit from his post on “moral high ground”.

Letter to Nadda

Mr. Bindal, who was declared party chief in January this year, tendered his resignation to BJP national president J.P. Nadda. “... as I am the State president and we all want an investigation into the alleged corruption without any pressure. Hence, keeping in view the high moral values, I am quitting from the post... I am only resigning on moral high ground,” he wrote in his letter to the national party chief on May 27.

“A few days ago an audio of director health services went viral... following which the State government acted swiftly and he was booked and arrested. The vigilance bureau is investigating the matter. In between, a few people pointed fingers indirectly at the BJP. With full confidence I can say that the BJP has nothing to do with this episode. The BJP is absolutely clean,” he wrote.

‘Blaming BJP is unjust’

Mr. Bindal added that pointing a finger at the BJP was unjust and also an insult to the services the State government has delivered during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The State’s Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had on May 20 arrested the then director of health services, Ajay Kumar Gupta, and booked him under Section 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) and Section 8 (taking gratification, in order, by corrupt or illegal means, to influence public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Mr. Gupta was arrested after an audio clip based on a telephonic conversation surfaced in which he was purportedly heard demanding a bribe of ₹5 lakh against purchase being made by the health department.