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Journalism of Courage
MUMBAI, NOV 4: Following his arrest yesterday in connection with his role in the leaking of the third year MBBS papers from the Grant Medical College, Dr R G Bhusale, professor of forensic medicine and former deputy dean and chief controller of examinations at the college has been suspended by the state government.
The gynaecology and obstetrics paper had been leaked from this centre on October 18, and in a delayed action the Mumbai University had cancelled and rescheduled the exam. The case had been then transferred to the Economic Offences Wing EOW of the city crime branch, which had first arrested one peon, Laxman Makwana on Thursday.
Following his interrogation, the police yesterday arrested Dr Bhusale, who immediately complained of chest pain and was admitted to the intensive cardiac care unit of JJ Hospital.
A senior government official confirmed that action has already been taken against the professor and he was suspended after being transferred to Pune. 8220;This is the lowest level to which the standards of medical education can possibly fall, and such cleansing should have been done long back,8221; he commented. The order on his suspension which was given yesterday, was received today by the authorities.
According to Sunil Chitre, assistant police inspector, EOW, the professor has been remanded to police custody till November 16, and the police has been given permission to interrogate him in the ICCU itself. He added that there were strong evidences against him and the involvement of other persons from the medical college will be known only after he was interrogating. The police has also provided security at the ICCU, he said.
The police is also investigating into reports that this apart, there are allegations that some candidates were provided with written answer booklets in the middle of the examinations. Most of the candidates who have benefitted from the leaking of question papers are believed to be those who had repeated their terms, who in turn sold the papers to other candidates at a price. 8220;If this is how medical examinations are being conducted, then it is almost like the situation that exists in UP and Bihar,8221; said a senior professor.
While the leakage of papers has created a furore in medical and academic circles, people in the know claim that there have been reports of such malpractices right in the beginning of the exams. And now that the police have obtained statements that the opthalmology paper was available with students much before the beginning of the exams, it has become a matter of serious concern for the university.
8220;In fact, if the reports are to be believed, practically all the papers should be cancelled and a complete re-examination should be held for the third year MBBS exam,8221; the professor urged.
