Alleged irregularities by health official being probed

The Health department is carrying out an inquiry into charges of alleged irregularities in the appointment of health visitors by an official in the TB services wing in Nilgiris district.
The probe was ordered after a group of persons lodged acomplaint with Chief Minister's Cell that P Vasanthan, Deputy Director, Medical Service (TB), had appointed some 1,000 people as health visitors with a monthly consolidated pay of Rs 8,500 and fixed local allowance of Rs 750, with annual increment of five per cent, officials said.
The health visitors alleged that Vasanthan had taken Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh for issuing appointment letters and claimed that nobody had received payment for the last eight months and were told that the amount will be disbursed immediately after getting the necessary funds.

Based on the complaint, Arivoli, Assistant Director, Health (TB) conducted an inquiry in the department office and asked Vasanthan and the affected persons to come and depose before him, one by one, police said.
Meanwhile, 200 enraged complainants allegedly ransacked
Vasanthan's office here seeking refund of their money and also payment of salary dues of eight months.

They allegedly broke open the door, smashed the showcase
and furniture and assaulted Vasanthan, police said.
Police dispersed the crowd and rescued Vasanthan.
The affected persons alleged that Vasanthan, when pressured for salary, had issued cheques to some, which had bounced.
However, denying the allegations, Vasanthan said the appointment was made as per norms and he had not issued any cheque. Somebody had stolen his two cheque books and issued the cheques to some persons, he claimed.