Maharashtra: IGMCH Dean Dr Gajbhiye granted bail

Nagpur: Dr. Meenakshi Gajbhiye (Wahane) of the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGMCH), was granted a bail by the sessions court on Friday.

Ms. Gajbhiye had been charged under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.She had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 15,000 for clearing pending medical bills of the supplier, Superintendent of Police (ACB) Sanjay Darade, told PTI. The ACB also caught a private person Vijay Uditnarayn Mishra (44), who runs a mess at new residents' hostel, for accepting bribe that he claimed was on behalf of Gajbhiye, reports TOI.

Read more at Medical Dialogues: Government Medical College Dean caught red handed taking bribe

The court granted Ms. Gajbhiye a bail on a surety of Rs. 25,000 despite the Public Prosecutor, Nitin Telgote's plea that if let go, she could tamper with evidence. Ms. Gajbhiye though has been asked to report to the police station every Monday and Thursday, between 11 am and 3 pm.

Defense lawyer Advocate, YP Mandpe, defending Dr Gajbhiye's integrity, told the TOI, that in the given circumstances, Dr Gajbhiye had surrendered on her own account, therefore, there was no question of her absconding, as reported in certain sections of the press. He said adverse publicity in the media had brought harm to her integrity.

On the question of bill clearance, Mandpe said that the bills had yet to be seized by the concerned authority. He also brought to light that clearance of bills did not fall in the purview of the Dean, it was instead the task of the purchase committee and administrative officer of the college. The bills were still in the outward-inward section, he informed.

Meanwhile, the proposal of her being suspended has been granted a clearance by the Medical Education Minister, Girish Mahajan, and is now with the Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis's office, awaiting his consent.

"I have signed the suspension today. Now, I am in Jalgaon. The CM is likely to sign the order soon," Mahajan told the TOI.