Sitting amid the blackened remains of his home, 32-year-old Nikesh Gawali carefully broke open a half-melted plastic box with a screwdriver. His hands shook slightly, not out of fear, but out of hope. “I’m trying to find my daughter Aarti’s gold earrings,” he said quietly, still focused on the box. “She’s just five. I got them made recently after months of labour work.” The plastic box, warped and blackened by heat, was one of the few things left from his two-room house on the outskirts of Dhamangaon village . All around him lay ash, broken tin sheets and charred wooden beams. The walls had cracked under the heat and the front room’s tin roof had caved in completely. What remained was a blackened debris all around - almost nothing to suggest a home once stood there. Nikesh earns his living as an agricultural labourer, like many in the village. Work is uncertain and depends on the season. Those earrings weren’t just jewellery - they were a small dream, a reward for his hard work,...
Dr Meenakshi Gajbhiye (Wahane), Dean, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH), on Wednesday went underground even as she knocked on court doors seeking pre-arrest bail in the bribery case. Caught in a bribe case after she allegedly demanded Rs. 15,000 to clear a bill for supplying medicines, Dr Gajbhiye failed to appear before Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today as was directed. Meanwhile, Vijay Mishra who accepted the bribe on behalf of Dr Gajbhiye was put behind bars on Tuesday.
Since the ACB trap occurred in late Monday afternoon, Dr Gajbhiye was just booked and directed to appear on Tuesday for joining investigation. Since it was evening by the time ACB completed all the formalities on Monday, the Dean could not be arrested as Supreme Court guidelines stipulated that no woman be arrested beyond sunset. Taking full advantage, Dr Gajbhiye on Tuesday moved anticipatory bail application in sessions court, seeking directions to ACB not to arrest her. The Dean had anticipated that ACB would arrest her today.
A senior official of ACB informed The Hitavada that the ACB had issued notices to Dr. Wahane and another accused Vijay Mishra to remain present in the ACB office on Tuesday in morning hours under section 41 of CrPC. However, Dr. Gajbhiye evaded arrested and went absconding. She had switched off her mobile phone from 10.30 am onwards and before that it was learnt the Dean was as usual took rounds and completed route work at IGGMCH,” informed an ACB official.
Her brother who is lecturer at Government Polytechnic College on Monday assured the ACB sleuths that she would remain present at ACB office on Tuesday. When ACB officers approached the lecturer and asked where his sister had gone, the lecturer said he is unaware.
Special teams of ACB were sent to locate Dr. Gajbhiye at her Dharampeth residence, IGGMCH premises and at her relatives place but all attempts went in vain.
Meanwhile, Sessions Court refused to pass any directions and listed the application of Dr Gajbhiye for further hearing on Thursday. Now, the ACB is gearing up to oppose bail application of Dr. Wahane in the court. The ACB have arrested mess contractor Vijay Mishra (44) on Tuesday evening who had accepted the bribe of Rs 15,000 on behalf Dr. Wahane. He would be produced in the court on Wednesday.
The ACB team on Tuesday seized CCTV footage of the IGGMCH to use it as evidence in the bribery case. The CCTV footage would be examined by the experts on Wednesday. The CCTV footage would be important document in the case and it would be produced in the court if found suitable. When asked about rumours about deletion of CCTV footage, the officer said it is no problem as technology has advanced and erased footage can be retrieved by cyber experts.
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