According to sources, Professor Deka’s name was turned down due to complaints of financial irregularities against him. Apart from the vigilance inquiry, faculty members of AIIMS had complained that Deka had not followed the rules while purchasing cochlear implants.

It is also learnt that the ACC was of the opinion that the Valiathan committee recommendations were not followed in the selection of candidates.

On August 18, when the institute body last met, it unanimously selected Professor R C Deka, an ENT specialist presently holding the position of Dean, to head the nation’s premier health institute.

Since August 2008, the appointment was delayed, as the file was shuttling in the ministries for the approval of the ACC — which in this case included the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, the Health Minister and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

The Director’s post has been vacant since July after the retirement of cardiologist P Venugopal.

A 17-member committee was then appointed to find a replacement for Dr P Venugopal — who vacated the Director’s office on July 2.

Besides Dr Deka, senior professors of AIIMS like Dr R V Azad, opthamology; Dr G K Rath, radiation oncology, are among those being considered for the post.

Others who had applied for the post include Dr K K Talwar and Dr Kartar Singh of PGI Chandigarh and Dr Jagdish Prasad, MS, Safdarjung Hospital.