How could dean who issued cert to Puja probe it: Official

Pune: State disability commissioner Pravin Puri has written to the principal secretary of medical education seeking an independent inquiry to ascertain if Pimpri-based Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) followed all norms before issuing a disability certificate to probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar. Puri has, in his letter on Aug 27, referred to a report by hospital dean Dr Rajendra Wable that claimed no irregularity was found in the grant of the certificate in Aug last year. Wable was the certificate-issuing authority and also conducted an inquiry into the matter, which was incorrect, Puri pointed out.

“We can’t have the certifying authority conducting the inquiry too. Hence, we have written to higher officials to order an independent probe by administrative officials from other units," Puri told TOI on Thursday. When contacted, principal secretary of medical education Dinesh Waghmare confirmed that he had received the disability commissioner’s letter about Khedkar.

“However, YCMH does not come under the directorate of medical education and research. It falls under the urban development department’s Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). We will forward the letter to officials concerned and they will look into this issue,” Waghmare said.

On his part, Dr Wable said he is aware of the letter. “Since YCMH comes under PCMC, the municipal commissioner may form another committee in this regard as the letter has sought an independent inquiry.” Th.