AAP leader calls botched surgeries case 'criminal corruption'

RAIPUR: Terming botched sterilisation surgeries a case of "criminal corruption", senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav today demanded immediate dismissal of Chhattisgarh Health Minister Amar Agrawal and registration of a criminal offence against him for the tragedy.
"Botched surgeries (cataract surgeries and uterus removal case) occurred in Chhattisgarh during Health Minister Amar Agrawal's tenure but no action was taken against him," Yadav told reporters here.

The drug company which allegedly supplied poor quality medicines in Bilapur's surgical camps was under cloud, he said.

"Despite that how did the health minister allow medicines of this company to be used? It's a case of criminal corruption. The minister should be immediately sacked and a case under Section 304 (culpabale homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code should be lodged against him," he said.

Yadav was on a day-long tour of Chhattiagarh to visit victims of botched tubectomies in state-run camps at Bilaspur which claimed the lives of 13 women and left many critical.

Apprehending a conspiracy behind the incident he said, "As per a senior health official, traces of zinc phosphide was found in antibiotic medicine Ciprocin-500 administered to victims of sterilisation. It's strange how a black coloured poisonous chemical was mixed with a white medicine. One can't rule out a bigger conspiracy behind the incident. It's not merely a case of (poor quality) medicines".

Accusing the government of covering up the incident by destroying medicines used in the camps, he demanded a probe by a sitting High Court judge or the CBI to unfold the conspiracy behind it.

The judge appointed to conduct judicial probe into the matter has already been investigating the death of a tribal woman in Sarguja district three years ago and a report is still awaited.

Meanwhile, Yadav welcomed the Supreme Court's order asking CBI Director Ranjit Sinha to withdraw himself from overseeing investigation into the 2G spectrum case and said, "Sinha should immediately step down on moral grounds."