An alleged recruitment scam has surfaced at the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre (IKDRC) within the Civil Hospital campus in Asarwa, Ahmedabad, involving irregular appointments and financial mismanagement. Claims suggest that standard recruitment procedures were bypassed.
The Congress has alleged that 297 appointments were made without any official announcement or examination. It also claimed that 12 retired government officials were appointed on a contractual basis with high salaries, allegedly without the chief minister’s approval. The party has demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.
IKDRC, established on October 7, 1981, is one of the largest institutes globally focused on service, education, and research for kidney diseases.
Citing findings from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, Congress stated that out of 58 recruitments for positions such as doctors, teaching officers, and lecturers, 34 were made without public notification or examination.
Of the 1,840 sanctioned regular posts, only 451 have been filled through standard procedures. Between 2012 and 2023, 192 individuals were directly recruited, according to Government of Gujarat (GOG) records.
The hospital reportedly appointed 19 individuals in Class-1, 20 in Class-2, 146 in Class-3, and 7 in Class-4 categories at its discretion. Allegations of favouritism and nepotism have also emerged, with Congress highlighting the case of Virendra Trivedi. “Trivedi, who completed his MBBS at the age of 20, was appointed as a resident medical officer within 24 hours,” Congress alleged.
It was further claimed that Trivedi unlawfully received Rs 9.40 lakh as research academic allowance between July 2015 and 2023, despite being ineligible for the benefit. After his retirement, he was allegedly reappointed on a high-paying contractual basis without the necessary approval.
The CAG report revealed that Rs 12.91 crore was illegally withdrawn by faculty and medical officers under the guise of research academic allowance. Congress also pointed to promotions that violated National Medical Council (NMC) regulations.
Individuals named in these allegations include Dr Pranjal Modi, Director of Kidney Hospital, along with Vaibhav Sutariya, Rajkiran Shah, Divesh Engineer, and Umang Thakkar.
“Umang Thakkar, who does not hold a postgraduate degree, was promoted to Associate Professor in violation of NMC rules,” Congress alleged.
Further, the appointment of Yazdi Wadia as Systems Manager has come under scrutiny. Wadia’s qualifications reportedly include education up to Class 12 and a certificate in radio mechanic electronics. Despite lacking the necessary qualifications, Wadia was appointed without government approval and received remuneration equivalent to an assistant professor’s pay scale.
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