Mundhe protecting NMC’s ‘tainted’ doc couple: Tiwari

Nagpur: Senior BJP corporator Dayashankar Tiwari accompanied by ruling party leader Sandeep Jadhav on Thursday accused municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundhe of protecting controversial deputy chief medical officer of Nagpur Municipal Corporation Dr Praveen Gantawar and his wife Dr Sheelu despite the couple facing several charges of irregularities.
“Even though city unit of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has on Wednesday booked the doctor couple for amassing disproportionate assets of over Rs2.52 crore, the civic chief is yet to take action against both,” said Tiwari while addressing a press conference.
“On February 14 also, Mundhe had received ‘documentary evidences’ against the doctor couple from one Madan Thool, but he did not act. This inaction shows municipal commissioner’s “love” towards the Gantawar couple,” claimed Tiwari.
Mundhe did not respond to TOI’s calls and message.
Tiwari also expressed surprise over Mundhe not initiating action against Gantawar couple despite mayor Sandip Joshi suspending both with immediate effect after corporators from all parties had ‘exposed’ their involvement in several irregularities during the general body meeting.
“Not implementing the mayor’s decision to suspend the ‘tainted’ couple tarnishes the image of the municipal commissioner,” he said. “Is the municipal commissioner misusing the powers or is he not taking action under pressure,” asked Tiwari.
He also pointed out that as per a notification issued by NMC’s samiti department on March 21, 2016 and under Maharashtra Nursing Home Act, 1949, any doctor working with NMC or government organizations cannot do private practice and could not run a private clinic. The couple has been engaged in private practice and is also operating a nursing home in Dhantoli for many years, he claimed.
Under Rule 5 of Maharashtra Civil Services Act and Disclosure and Appeal Rules, 1979, a person working in government service cannot hold a post in a political organization and cannot participate in politics. Despite this, Dr Sheelu Gantawar is active member of Congress party in Madhya Pradesh. She had also sought ticket to contest the last assembly polls, he claimed showing Dr Sheelu’s Facebook page wherein she had posted many of her photos with heavyweight politicians including former MP chief minister Kamal Nath, Jyotiraditya Scindia among others.
Dr Sheelu also runs a clinic in Betul in MP and visits there every Friday, Tiwari claimed showing her post on the FB page. “If Dr Sheelu is keeping the Betul clinic open every Friday, how could she drew salary from the NMC is a matter of investigation,” said Tiwari.
Even though Dr Sheelu is working as medical officer with the NMC, she has hidden this fact in one of her social media accounts and mentioned herself to be self-employed. “Is she ashamed to admit working with the NMC,” he asked.
Tiwari also accused Dr Gantawar’s nursing home of charging exorbitant money from patients which was exposed by late social activist Umesh Choubey. A probe by FDA had also exposed how fake bills were submitted by the hospital to claim excess money from ESIC, he claimed.
The muster of employees working in Indira Gandhi Rugnalay for 2016 and 2017 has gone missing from Dr Gantawar’s custody, said Tiwari claiming that the doctor was trying to protect his wife.
“If the municipal commissioner failed to act against the doctor couple, I will go to public to seek justice,” said Tiwari, adding he would be releasing an audio clip which will be enough to expose Dr Gantawar in the next press meet.