MD student bribe case, HOD found guilty

PANAJI: The Head of Department (HOD) at the Goa Medical College and Hospital(GMC) has been proven guilty of having demanded bribe from a student for declaring her MD result. Prima facie evidence found by the Evaluation Committee of the Goa University has nailed him for the misdeeds.

According to sources, the Evaluation Committee at a meeting held at the Goa University, on Friday, under the chairmanship of Officiating Registrar, M Shreedhara, tabled the evidence against Dr. Pankaj Shukla, HOD.

"The committee during the meeting has accessed documents which indicate that the concerned HOD (Dr Shukla) is guilty of the allegations leveled against him by the student", the source added.

The incident was earlier reported by Medical Dialogues , where in the MD student of the skin department had alleged that her results had been withheld for not having paid a bribe of 1 lac to the professor. She also spoke about having been exposed to hazardous duties despite been in a pregnant state.

Meanwhile Dr. Shukla has denied the allegations leveled against him, stating that the results had been declared in the first week of October. He also denied having taken any bribe for the same.

The Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Francis D'Souza, on Tuesday, after having taken cognizance of media reports, ordered an inquiry into the allegations made by the PG student. It was further alleged by the victim that the Goa Medical College authorities along with the Goa University were aware of her plight.

The Officiating Registrar of the Goa University had to call a meeting of the Evaluation Committee, since the charges made by the student were of a serious nature. The committee while evaluating the documents, found incriminating evidence against the doctor.

The officiating Registrar of the Goa University remained unavailable to all endeavors of establishing contact.