SC reinstates Venugopal as AIIMS director

Venugopal challenged an amendment to the AIIMS Act that fixed the upper age of retirement of Director at 65 years, a step that forced him to him relinquish office.

A bench of Justices Tarun Chatterjee and H S Bedi upheld the appeal filed by Venugopal challenging the impugned law as being discriminatory and malafidely brought to superannuate him.

Venugopal had contended that the amendment was brought with the sole purpose of removing him from his office due to his differences with Ramadoss.

Senior counsel and former Law Minister Arun Jaitley had contended on behalf of Venugopal that the Act was illegal as the High Court had in March last year upheld his continuation in the post and the matter was pending in the apex court. But the Centre in the meantime brought the amendment in Parliament, he said.

The law was enacted after a no-holds barred confrontation between Venugopal and the Health Minister over the control of the prestigious institute.

In effect, the judgement would mean that the Government is now under an obligation to bring back the Director.

"SC verdict has thwarted 'game plan' in Parliament"

Reacting to the verdict, P Venugopal said the striking down the law that resulted in his removal as AIIMS Director has thwarted the "game-plan carried out in Parliament".

"I am happy that the Supreme Court has upheld the truth," Venugopal said.

While Venugopal did not talk to the reporters directly, he conveyed his reaction to them through senior resident doctor Anil Sharma.

"The decision has thwarted the game-plan carried out in Parliament," Sharma said quoting Venugopal, who made no direct reference to Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss with whom he had a bitter row.