Chairman and Secretary of MP Nursing Registration Council Dismissed Following High Court Ruling
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Bhopal, Dec 21 (NationPress) In adherence to the order issued by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, the state government has relieved Jiten Shukla from his position as chairman of the MP Nursing Registration Council (MPNRC) and Anita Chand from her role as secretary.
Manoj Kumar Sariyam, who was previously serving as the Additional Director within the Health Services Department, has taken over as the new chairman of MPNRC. Moreover, Krishna Kumar Rawat, the ECO of the National Health Mission, has succeeded Anita Chand as the new secretary.
A notification was disseminated on Thursday, instructing Manoj Kumar Sariyam and Krishna Kumar Rawat to assume their new responsibilities immediately.
This change followed the December 13 ruling of a division bench of the MP High Court that called for the removal of Jiten Shukla and Anita Chand, citing their involvement in a nursing college scam.
The bench, comprising Justice Sanjay Dwivedi and Justice A K Paliwal, highlighted that both Shukla and Chand had been involved in various capacities and deemed their continued appointments in such pivotal positions within MPNRC as unacceptable.
The High Court's order was prompted by a petition from Vishal Baghel, the president of the Law Students' Association, who filed two distinct applications requesting the removal of Chand and Shukla, accusing them of participating in a scam linked to the approval of fraudulent nursing colleges in the state.
Baghel urged the court to mandate their dismissal from their crucial roles in MPNRC to prevent any potential influence over evidence related to the scam.
Anita Chand had previously served on the inspection committee that produced a misleading report on March 4, 2022, which led to the recognition of RKS Nursing College in Bhopal, a recognition that was later revoked, as per the petitioner’s claims.
Additionally, the application for the removal of Jiten Shukla indicated that he held the position of director of MPNRC when numerous irregularities occurred in approving nursing colleges.
Upon reviewing these applications, the court instructed the respondents to provide explanations for the placement of such individuals in key roles of registrar and chairman of MPNRC, while also verbally directing their removal.
"We cannot permit individuals involved in the prior recognition process to maintain significant positions, as there is a substantial risk that they would not only seek to protect themselves but also potentially manipulate the evidence," the court stated.
