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Bhubaneswar: It is something that looks straight out of Ripley's Believe it or Not. Motilal Gouda, the suspended Assistant director of the Department of Factories (Medical) and accused of issuing a fake gazette notification and receiving kickback worth more than Rs 1 crore for the same, was in the list of ‘absconders’ issued by State Health department in 2015.
The government notification issued on 17th November 2015, a copy of which is with OTV, had a list of 408 medical officers who were removed from government service for remaining ‘absent from duty for a long period unauthorisedly and willfully.’ Gouda’s name had appeared in the list with the serial number 355.
But the interesting part is that when the Health department issued the notification, Gouda was already working as the Assistant director in the Department of Factories (Medical), which functions under the Labour department.
Even as it exposes the lack of co-ordination between two government departments so far as appointment in key positions is concerned, questions are being raised about how a person wanted in one department can work in an important position in another department of the state government.
Meanwhile, the department has also confirmed the fake notification issued to industrial units by Gouda, for which he has been suspended. The notification had asked the industries to get the health checkups of their employees done by a group of empanelled pathology test centres.
“He had prepared and issued a gazette notification fraudulently. Besides, enabling provisions were mentioned in the notification, which was circulated among some industrial units,” said, PC Das, Director, Department of Factories.
Moreover, in this regard, Gouda also signed a Rs 63-lakh agreement with Navaratna PSU Nalco and was planning to sign another agreement for Rs 1.06 crore with the company, Das informed.
The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch, has registered a case against Gouda on June 6.
Investigating officials said Gouda had joined the factories and boilers wing on deputation from the Employees' State Insurance Corporation in 2012. His job was to monitor the health of employees working in hazardous industries in the State.
