Lalit Patil Escape Fallout: Pune’s Sassoon Hospital Dean Removed, Head of Orthopedics Suspended
Pune, 11th November 2023: The Maharashtra government took decisive action on Friday, removing Dr. Sanjiv Thakur from the position of Sassoon General Hospital dean pending a departmental inquiry. Simultaneously, Dr. Pravin Deokate, head of the orthopedic department, was suspended over negligence related to the escape of drug kingpin Lalit Patil from the hospital’s prisoner’s ward on October 2.
The move by the department of medical education and research (DMER) followed the Bombay High Court’s decision to vacate an interim stay, allowing the state to take action against Dr. Thakur. The HC ruled that the state was free to make a new appointment in his place. Dr. Thakur’s predecessor, Dr. Vinayak Kale, had challenged two orders issued on February 13 by the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT).
One order transferred Dr. Kale from the post of Sassoon Hospital dean to the director of Maharashtra Institute of Mental Health in Pune, while the second transferred Dr. Thakur from Solapur to the post held by Dr. Kale. Although the matter is pending, the removal of the interim stay in favor of Dr. Thakur enabled the state to take action.
DMER Secretary Dinesh Waghmare stated, “Our inquiry found that Lalit Patil was in the orthopedics unit for three months under the orthopedic HoD Dr. Deokate. A different committee will now conduct the departmental inquiry, and based on the inspection report, the DMER commissioner will frame charges.”
A release from DMER’s divisional liaisoning officer stated, “Dr. Thakur, Dr. Deokate, and other officers from concerned departments have been prima facie found guilty of negligence. Considering the DMER commissioner’s recommendations, the government has decided to remove Dr. Thakur from his post of dean, pending inquiry, and suspend Dr. Deokate with immediate effect.”
The incident dates back to October 1 when the Pune police seized a Rs2.14 crore worth mephedrone (MD) drug parcel from Patil’s aide, Subhash Mandal. Patil escaped on October 2 from the state-run hospital, prompting the government to form a four-member committee to investigate the alleged laxity of hospital authorities. The committee’s report, submitted on October 27, led to the DMER commissioner’s recommendations and subsequent government action against those found negligent.
