Mumbai – Indradev Pandey
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has taken serious notice of molestation complaints at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-run Nair Hospital and Medical College, ordering an in-depth inquiry to ensure justice for the victims.
Shinde has instructed BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to conduct a thorough investigation. He has also ordered the transfer of Dean Sudhir Medhekar, who allegedly ignored the complaints.
“These complaints are serious. We will investigate further. We are committed to providing a secure environment in hospitals,” Shinde said.
The state government’s action comes in the wake of the Kolkata rape incident and criticism over the Badlapur rape case. As part of the reshuffle, the BMC has appointed Cooper Hospital Dean Shailesh Mohite to replace Medhekar, who will be transferred to Cooper Hospital.
At a hearing held in Prabhadevi on Thursday, several more female students came forward with complaints against a suspended assistant professor from BYL Nair Hospital, accused of sexual harassment. To date, approximately 10 complaints have been filed against the professor.
The hearing, organised following a directive from the BMC’s additional municipal commissioner, was conducted by the Savitribai Phule Women’s Resource Centre’s (SPGRC) Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and Sexual Harassment Prevention Committee at the Workplace.
Initial investigations by Nair Hospital’s ICC and the Local Complaints Committee (LCC) had recommended transferring the assistant professor to another college. However, the civic body ultimately suspended him and requested a higher-level ICC to conduct a full investigation.
The Association of State Medical Interns (ASMI) issued a statement, saying, “Multiple complaints were submitted on Thursday, and several female students came forward to speak before the higher committee. We have provided evidence against the assistant professor and the dean. We have made legitimate demands based on this evidence, and if these demands are not met, we will initiate a statewide agitation in Maharashtra.”
Sources indicated that three female students detailed their negative experiences with the professor, all of whom mentioned that he threatened them with academic repercussions if they filed formal complaints.
One student alleged that the professor deliberately withheld checking one of her exam answers, forcing her to meet with him to get the issue resolved. “During these meetings, he assaulted me many times,” she said, breaking down in tears. Another student shared a similar experience, stating that the professor would call her to his office under the guise of academic discussions and then assault her.
n addition to student testimonies, three staff members were also present at the hearing. One female staff member disclosed that during her more than a decade of service, she had never received as many memos as she did during the year under the professor’s supervision-37 in total. “I refused to carry out certain tasks that were beyond my authority, but he still pressured me to do them,” she reportedly said during the hearing.
The ICC had requested written complaints from students by 25 September and held the Thursday hearing to gather further testimonies. As the investigation unfolds, the BMC and state government face mounting pressure to address the allegations and ensure the safety of students and staff in medical institutions.
