Remove Jharkhand CM aide over medicine scam, Modi urged

Ranchi: Former Jharkhand chief minister Babulal Marandi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking removal of the principal secretary of Chief Minister Raghubar Das till the conclusion of a probe against him in a medicine scam in Bihar.

"(Principal Secretary) Sanjay Kumar is the main accused in the medicine scam and he is holding a key position in Jharkhand. Till the probe, which was initiated on the directive of the Patna High Court, is going on, Sanjay Kumar should be removed," says Marandi`s letter to Modi.

He said Patna High Court in February this year passed an order asking the health department to conduct an impartial probe into the scam.

Sanjay Kumar is a 1990 batch Bihar cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. He was appointed principal secretary of Raghubar Das after the Bharatiya Janata Party government was formed in December 2014.

According to the letter, Sanjay Kumar -- who is now on deputation in Jharkhand -- was the executive director of the state health committee in Bihar during 2008-12.

Marandi alleged that medicines were purchased at higher rates causing a loss of Rs.15 crore which was part of the central government fund given to Bihar under the National Rural Health Mission.