Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: The Jharkhand government has issued a show-cause notice to Dr. Rajkumar, Director of RIMS (Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences), over a series of serious administrative and financial irregularities. These include refunding Rs 691 crore to the state, bypassing tender protocols, and allegedly facilitating his son’s admission to a postgraduate course without a written exam.
Allegations include financial mismanagement and nepotism
The state’s health department has pointed out that Dr. Rajkumar admitted his son, Rishabh Kumar, into the MHA course based on a walk-in interview instead of the mandated written examination. The rules did not allow for any stipend, yet a proposal for a Rs 30,000 monthly stipend was introduced in the 58th governing body meeting. Additionally, the committee formed for regularisation of services included his son, raising further conflict-of-interest concerns. Despite earlier queries from the government, Dr. Rajkumar failed to respond.
Violation of procurement rules and procedural bypasses
The notice states that tenders exceeding Rs 1 crore must be placed before the permanent finance committee, as per RIMS regulations. However, Dr. Rajkumar allegedly issued such tenders without following due process. It also points to the publication of tenders and procurement of materials without prior administrative approval—direct violations of institutional protocols. Furthermore, proposals meant to be routed through the finance committee were reportedly taken directly to the governing body.
Unspent funds, return of grant signal mismanagement
A major concern raised by the government was the failure to utilise Rs 691 crore allocated for healthcare services in FY 2024–25, which had to be returned unspent. Additionally, Rs 300 crore of grant-in-aid remained unused during the same period, signalling inefficiency in fund utilisation. The government also criticised the abrupt discontinuation of diagnostic services under the PPP model at RIMS, which adversely impacted public healthcare access. The director allegedly ignored repeated government instructions for clearing pending dues related to the project.
The notice underscores a pattern of administrative lapses, procedural violations, and disregard for government directives. Dr. Rajkumar has been asked to submit his explanation to avoid further disciplinary action.
