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Ramachandran to move court

Special Correspondent

Says he suspects genuineness of taped phone talk

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K.K. Ramachandran, who resigned as Health Minister following adverse remarks from the Lok Ayukta and leakage of his telephone talk with the Wayanad District Medical Officer, has said that he will approach the judiciary to prove his innocence.

The former Health Minister told a news conference here on Sunday that he suspected the genuineness of the taped version of his telephone conversation with the DMO as several portions of the actual dialogue appeared to be missing from it. He conceded that he had indeed spoken to the DMO just as he had spoken to several other officers in his department, but could not recall what he had said over the phone. He was in consultation with senior lawyers and would approach courts of law, Mr. Ramachandran said.

The former Minister also expressed his unhappiness with the Lok Ayukta's observations against him and his additional private secretary in connection with a petition filed before it and said the Lok Ayukta's failure to hear him in the matter amounted to violation of the principle of natural justice. Accusing the Superintendent of Police attached to the Lok Ayukta who had investigated the charges against him of being `steeped in corruption', he said only such a person could have reported he had taken money from those seeking employment as sweepers. All the findings in the SP's report were false and baseless.

That was why the Chief Minister had got the matter investigated by IG T.P. Senkumar, he claimed.

In his perception, his resignation had much to do with the coming together of different `vested interests', whom he had antagonised because his firm interventions to prevent corruption in drug purchase, transfers and postings and in recruitment of sweepers and other casual employees.

He claimed that the steps taken by him had resulted in handsome savings in drug purchases and that the norms that he had put in place for transfers had helped avoid complaints and allegations of corruption.

He said there was strong pressure on him to take a favourable decision on the memorandum submitted to him by the Wayanad DMO, the telephone conversation with whom resulted in his resignation, regarding his seniority and that the DMO might have become hostile because he (Mr. Ramachandran) could not help him.

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