IAS officer SAM Rizvi applied for VRS because he got ₹10L job at AIG Hospital: Excise Minister Rao
SAM Rizvi’s VRS sparked political row in Telangana as Excise Minister Rao claims he got ₹10L job at AIG Hospital but hospital says it is still at discussions stage
By Newsmeter Network
Hyderabad: IAS officer SAM Rizvi applied for VRS because he got ₹10L job at AIG Hospitals according to an announcement at the cabinet press conference
Hyderabad: A major row has erupted after Telangana Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao claimed that senior IAS officer Syed Ali Murtaza Rizvi, who applied for the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), has landed a Rs 10 lakh job at AIG Hospital. Sources at AIG Hospital state that the discussions are going on with ex-IAS officer Rizvi.
Rizvi served as the health secretary during the BRS rule and is close to the private hospitals in the city. He was also allegedly accused by Telangana doctors for stalling payments of Aarogyasri to small private hospitals in the city and districts during the BRS rule.
File picture during an inauguration at AIG hospitals
Rao's statement comes days after he complained to the Chief Secretary about Rizvi. After the Cabinet meeting on October 23, Rao claimed that Rizvi has got a job at AIG Hospital with a Rs 10 lakh per month salary package.
In a press conference, the minister said Rizvi applied for voluntary retirement because he got a high-paying job.
On liquor bottle hologram tenders, Rao said, when tenders were not even called, what’s the point of dragging CM’s son-in-law or his son? “He (Rizvi) would often speak to BRS working President K.T. Rama Rao,” he said.
Senior IAS officer Syed Ali Murtaza Rizvi’s voluntary retirement has triggered a political row in Telangana with the BRS accusing the government of "harassing” bureaucrats for corruption.
The BRS has accused the Congress government of corruption in the tender process. The opposition party alleged that the tenders were called to favor the son-in-law of the Chief Minister and the son of Jupally Krishna Rao.
Rizvi, a 1999 batch officer who had a decade of service left, opted for VRS from October 31.
The state government has accepted the request of Syed Ali Murtaza Rizvi, who served as Principal Secretary in the Health and Commercial Tax Department. The reason for his VRS is not known.
What is the hologram tender about?
Telangana Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao formally complained to the Chief Secretary against Rizvi on October 22. He accused Rizvi of deliberately stalling tenders for high-security holograms affixed to sealed liquor bottles, thereby allowing an old vendor to continue without facing competition since 2019.
Each label carries a barcode & IT-based tracking system that helps the Excise Department trace every bottle from distillery to retail, preventing illegal liquor trade, counterfeit bottles, and excise tax evasion.
He urged the government to reject Rizvi’s VRS and initiate action for misconduct.
Sequence of events:
August 13, 2024
The minister directed Rizvi and the Excise Commissioner to speed up new tenders for the holograms used on sealed liquor bottles, as per G.O.Ms No.112 (dated 15.10.2022).
September 24, 2024
A written reminder was issued, asking Rizvi to publish an Expression of Interest (EoI) for new technology vendors through the Expert Committee constituted under that G.O.
September 27, 2024
Rizvi proposed reconstituting the Expert Committee, removing himself as chairman, a move the minister saw as an attempt to delay the tender.
