Suspended Pune civic body health chief alleges he was pressured to approve illegal tenders made by a State Minister

After the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti authorities lately suspended the well being chief of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the official has hit again with a letter to Mr. Shinde, during which he claimed he was suspended for refusing to do the “illicit bidding” of a Minister within the State authorities.

Bhagwan Pawar, who was Pune’s district well being officer (DHO) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic disaster, was lately sacked on grounds of getting dedicated monetary harassment, and on costs of alleged sexual harassment of girls colleagues.

However, in a letter addressed to Mr. Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Dr. Pawar alleged that he was pressured to approve unlawful tenders and different purchases made by a Minister within the State Cabinet, whereas highlighting his untarnished and exemplary service document of over 30 years within the Public Health Department.

He stated there had been “no serious complaints or administrative inquiries” in opposition to him in on a regular basis since his appointment because the well being chief of the PMC in March 2023.

The case has become a political slanging match, with the Congress’ Leader of the Opposition within the State Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar accusing the Shinde authorities of scapegoating an trustworthy officer for refusing to do the bidding of a corrupt Minister.

While not naming him, Mr. Wadettiwar’s barbs gave the impression to be directed at Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Tanaji Sawant, a pacesetter from Mr. Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction.

“In this Mahayuti government, there is a ‘tender competition’. Corrupt officials who do illegal work on the orders of ministers are pampered while honest officials like Pune Municipal Health chief Dr. Bhagwan Pawar are suspended. The Minister has repeatedly called him and pressured him to do illegal work, and he was suspended for refusing to do it. Honest officials are exposing the true face of this corrupt government,” Mr. Wadettiwar posted on social media platform X.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar) faction legislator Rohit Pawar requested whether or not the Minister Dr. Pawar had accused in his letter was Mr. Sawant.

“How long will CM Eknath Shinde protect such a corrupt minister? He has been involved in the ambulance scam in the past. Now, if tenders are being managed in this way, I urge ‘Doctor’ Eknath Shinde to perform a ‘surgery’ on this minister and cut him out of the State cabinet,” Mr. Rohit Pawar, who’s veteran chief Sharad Pawar’s grand-nephew, stated.