Whistleblower bureaucrat writes to PM for details of conversation with former Health minister

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Citing "relentless persecution", whistleblower bureaucrat Sanjiv Chaturvedi has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to disclose the details of the 2014 conversation he had with then Union health minister Harsh Vardhan.

The conversation between Modi and Vardhan led to his removal as anti-corruption officer of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Chaturvedi has said in a letter to the prime minister on February 28.

Though the letter was written in February, the contents of the letter have been accessed only recently.

Chaturvedi has sought action against those responsible for harassing him as well as disclosure of information related to the status of investigation of corruption cases against serving central ministers, in accordance with a recent order of the Central Information Commission.

In his letter, Chaturvedi said he was subjected to "relentless persecution" and dragged into "endless litigations" in more than a dozen court cases across four high courts, tribunals and Supreme Court after the phone conversation between Modi and Vardhan on August 23, 2014.

The telephonic conversation was on the issue of removing Chaturvedi from the post of chief vigilance officer, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), according to the response to an RTI query filed by Chaturvedi.

A letter dated August 23, 2014, issued by then Union Health secretary Lov Verma to the Prime Minister's Office said, "The Hon'ble Prime Minister of India had a telephonic discussion with the Hon'ble Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare regarding relieving of charge of CVO, AIIMS, New Delhi from Shri Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Deputy Secretary, AIIMS, New Delhi."