IGGMC dean’s suspension letter sent to Devendra Fadnavis

NAGPUR: The sessions court, on Thursday, granted one day police custody remand (PCR) to the dean of the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College (IGGMC) Dr Meenakshi Wahane Gajbhiye. The directorate of medical education and research (DMER) has forwarded the proposal of her suspension to the chief minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis. It reached the medical education minister Girish Mahajan’s office by late Thursday evening and was likely to reach the CM office by Friday afternoon.The sessions court, on Thursday, granted one day police custody remand (PCR) to the dean of the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College (IGGMC) Dr Meenakshi Wahane Gajbhiye.
The lawyer for the accused, advocate YP Mandpe, told TOI that the public prosecutor advocate Nitin Telgote had demanded a PCR for two days for fair investigations in the case. But the court granted only one day’s PCR for seeking CCTV footage of the issue. Mandpe said that the lawyers on behalf of accused pleaded that Dr Gajbhiye was available for investigation for last two days as she was very much in her office till mid noon on Wednesday when she surrendered to the anti-corruption sleuths.
Earlier, Dr Pravin Shingare, chief of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) said that the DMER had already initiated the process of suspension of the dean as she was arrested by the police. But being a class I officer, the directorate couldn’t take any direct action against her. “Hence we have sent a proposal requesting for her suspension to the mantralaya. The file will go to the principal secretary who, in turn, will submit it to the medical education minister and the chief minister of state. The CM is likely to order her suspension in a day,” said Dr Shingare.
Dr Shingare also clarified that after the CM orders her suspension the DMER will set up a high level enquiry committee which will be headed by an IAS officer. DMER officials will be presenting her case to the enquiry committee during the committee’s hearing.
Meanwhile, Dr AV Shrikhande has been given the charge of the acting dean from Wednesday onwards when Dr Gajbhiye applied for medical leave. Sources in the college said that Dr M P Parchand, anatomy head, was the senior most professor and should have been given the charge of acting dean. Sources also said that Dr Gajbhiye, after taking charge as the dean, has never given the acting dean’s charge to Dr Parchand.