SRINAGAR; Mar 01: Director Health Services, Kashmir Dr. Saleem-ur-Rehman has filed a defamation suit against Jammu based newspaper Daily Excelsior for publishing a news story “not based on facts”.
He has termed the news item published by Excelsior under heading “50 lakh hafta fixed for Kashmir pvt hospitals, nursing homes” on February 27, 2012 as false, concocted, baseless and factually incorrect aimed at defaming his position and status.

“The allegations levelled against Director Health that the private hospitals, Nursing Homes, and testing and imaging laboratories are being sealed only to extort the money  are false and concocted. The matter of the fact is that establishments are sealed for being un-registered under the J&K Pre-conception and Pre-natal Sex Selection/Determination (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 2002, or J&K Nursing Homes & Clinical Establishments (Registration & Licensing) Act, or both, which is a mandatory requirement for the said establishments under the relevant laws and if any of the establishment fulfils the criteria as laid down under the norms/guidelines after being sealed and are granted the Certificate of Registration, be it under J&K Pre-conception and Pre-natal Sex Selection/Determination (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 2002, or J&K Nursing Homes & Clinical Establishments (Registration & Licensing) Act, or both, the authorities are left with no other option but to lift/remove the seal,” Rehman’s counsel Advocate Jahangir Iqbal Ganai said in the defamation suit.