MANIPULATING DOC SHUNTED

Ghule fudged medical papers to help Bhujbal get admission to St George’s ICU even though he had a dental problem

A detailed inquiry into the role of jail medical officer Dr Rahul Ghule has shown that he had manipulated the medical papers to help NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal get admission to the ICU of St. George’s Hospital, when he actually had complained of a dental problem.

According to BK Singh, inspector general of prisons, the medical register showed that Bhujbal had first said that he had a tooth problem and based on this, the doctor on duty had sent him to St. George’s Dental Hospital for treatment. “He was sent to the hospital with a police escort, but at the gates of Arthur Road Jail, Ghule did some manipulation of medical papers and wrote that he should be sent to St. George’s Hospital,” the officer said.

It is surprising that despite being off duty, Ghule came to the jail and manipulated the papers and then even went along with Bhujbal to the hospital, Singh said. “We carried out a detailed inquiry into this matter and have decided that Ghule is guilty of misconduct and he has been sent back to his parent department for further action,” he said.

CHARGES AGAINST JAIL SUPER Responding to questions about the allegations made by Ghule against the jail superintendent, the IG said that they will definitely make inquiries into them and find out if there is any substance in them. Singh said that they have received the complaint that Dr Ghule has made about corruption by the jail superintendent and this is also being inquired into by the administration. However, ideally if Dr Ghule had any complaint of this nature, he should have informed his seniors about this and not written directly to the Chief Minister. In fact, Dr Ghule was earlier the Chief Medical Officer at Arthur Road Jail, but he was removed from this position when some inmates made complaints against him.

Singh said that for any medical complaints, they always send their inmates to JJ Hospital for treatment, which is the standard protocol. “There it is not clear why Bhujbal was referred to St. George’s Hospital for treatment,” he added.

When asked whether the jail administration will be able to do a fair inquiry against the jail superintendent, the IG said that they will definitely carry out an unbiased inquiry into the matter.

When Singh was asked for the reason that several high profile prisoners want to be shifted to barrack number 12, he said that there is nothing special about this cell. “It is just a high security cell and otherwise there is no difference between this and any other cell,” he revealed.

He assured that the inquiry into this matter, including allegations made by Dr Ghule will be completed soon and they are already in the process of recording statements of those concerned.

“We have just got the information that Bhujbal has been discharged from the intensive care unit of the hospital and has been shifted to the general ward,” he said. However, his entire case details will be known only after he is discharged from the hospital and is brought back to the jail for his custody, he added.