UP govt withdraws re-inquiry against Dr Kafeel Khan
Allahabad (UP): The order for a departmental re-inquiry against suspended paediatrician Dr Kafeel Khan has been withdrawn, the Uttar Pradesh government has informed the Allahabad High Court.
The order of a departmental re-inquiry was given on February 24 last year.
Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal told the court on Friday, "The order of 24 February, 2020 impugned in this petition has been withdrawn subject to liberty being reserved for the respondents to proceed in the matter afresh and in light of what was noted by the court in its order of July 29, 2021".
It was further submitted before the court of Justice Yashwant Varma that all endeavours shall be made to conclude the disciplinary proceedings within a period of three months.
The court has listed the case for hearing on August 10 (Tuesday).
In the writ petition, it was disclosed that seven persons out of nine who were suspended along with the petitioner have been reinstated pending conclusion of disciplinary proceedings. The order for suspension against Dr Khan was passed on August 22, 2017.
Earlier on July 29 this year, the court noticed that although the petitioner had been suspended back in 2017, the inquiry proceedings had not yet been concluded till the filing of the petition.
By an order of March 7, 2019, the petition was disposed of with a direction to the respondents (the state government) to conclude the inquiry within three months.
In pursuance to that direction, the court was informed that the Enquiry Officer submitted his report on April 15, 2019. The disciplinary authority, however, chose to pass the impugned order after nearly 11 months.
It is to be recalled that Dr Khan had challenged his suspension in connection with the death of several children due to alleged shortage of oxygen at a government hospital in Gorakhpur district.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
