In a significant development, the dean of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College, Ashish Shrinath Banginwar (54), was apprehended by the Pune unit of the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday. This arrest comes as a result of his alleged involvement in accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh in exchange for facilitating the admission of a student into the MBBS program. The admission, purportedly under the institutional quota, fell under the jurisdiction of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
ACB Operation Leads to Arrest
The operation leading to Banginwar's arrest was meticulously executed by the ACB after a preliminary investigation. According to a press release issued by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Nitin Jadhav, ACB, Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College, managed by PMC - Medical Education Trust, found itself under scrutiny due to these allegations. Banginwar, who occupies a prominent "class I" position within the institution, was caught red-handed accepting the initial installment of the bribe, amounting to Rs 10 lakh, within his office on August 8.
Complaint Triggers Investigation
The incident unfolded when the father of a student, who had successfully cleared the NEET 2023 examination, filed a complaint with the ACB's Pune office. The complainant alleged that his son had secured a spot in the prestigious MBBS program at Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College during the initial round of the Centralised Admission Process (CAP).
Upon approaching Banginwar to initiate the admission process, the complainant claimed he was met with a demand for an additional Rs 16 lakh. This sum, in addition to the standard government fee of Rs 22.5 lakh, was allegedly required to guarantee the admission spot. Subsequent to this encounter, the complainant decided to bring the matter to the attention of the ACB.
Political Activism in Response
The aftermath of Banginwar's arrest saw a dramatic turn of events, as members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) launched an active protest. Led by Prashant Kanojiya and advocate Sachin Pawar, the MNS activists forcibly entered the dean's office and engaged in an act of vandalism. Pawar, a prominent figure within the MNS in Pune, emphasized the need for a comprehensive investigation that extends beyond the dean alone. He suggested that PMC officials and potentially implicated political leaders should also be thoroughly scrutinized for their involvement in the alleged corruption case.
Legal Proceedings Underway
A first information report (FIR) was registered against the dean at the Samarth police station, citing sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The ACB has confirmed that Deputy Superintendent of Police Sudam Pachorkar is leading the investigation into the matter. The allegations surrounding the bribery case have brought to light the need for a thorough examination of the admissions process and the potential involvement of other individuals in this alleged scheme.
Share
Tweet
