Kaithal :
Health Minister Anil Vij on Friday directed that an SDO in the Public Health Engineering Department be suspended, booked and arrested in connection with a complaint of corruption against him.

SDO Ved Pal, posted in Guhla in Kaithal district, repeatedly pleaded he be given a chance to explain, but the minister refused to give him a hearing.

If the complaint was proved false, the official could file a case, Vij said. He was presiding over a meeting of the monthly grievance redressal committee at the Mini-Secretariat here.

The complaint had been lodged by Digvijay Singh of Kakheri village, a contractor working with the department. The SDO claimed that the complaint was motivated.
The SDO, who was supported by Superintending Engineer AK Pahwa, wanted the complaint to be inquired into before registration of an FIR.

The official was reportedly pushed back by the security staff, but he stood up and tried to show some papers to the minister.

When he was told to sit down by the security staff, he likened Vij’s refusal to the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Following this, the minister reportedly told the security staff to show him the door.