Charge sheet against former health director

The Special Police Establishment (SPE) of Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta has filed a charge-sheet against former Health Director Ashok Sharma under the Prevention of Corruption Act for alleged irregularities in the purchase of anti-TB drugs five years ago.
The SPE filed the charge-sheet against Sharma yesterday in Special Judge RPS Chouhan's court (corruption cases) for committing irregularity in purchase of anti-Tuberculosis drugs, officials said here today.
Sharma, who had faced a number of corruption charges in his controversial stint as the Health Director, was prosecuted in a case relating to purchase the drugs in violation of norms with an apparent intention to benefit a company in 2007-08, they said.

He was later granted bail after he furnished securities and two personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each, SPE said, adding the next hearing was fixed on April 12.
A case under sections 13 (1) (d) read with 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against Sharma.
They said that Sharma purchased anti-Tuberculosis medicines worth more than Rs 37 lakh in 2007 despite a circular from the Centre that the same were being supplied by the government of India free of cost.
He was informed not to purchase Streptomycin (injection) as the full requirement of anti-TB drugs was being supplied by the Centre, SPE officials said.