Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers created chaos on Wednesday as they vandalized the office of the dean at Pune Municipal Corporation’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College. The cause of this uproar was the arrest of the dean, Ashish Shrinath Bhanginwar (54), who was apprehended by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials. He was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh in exchange for admission to the MBBS course under the institutional quota.
The incident unfolded when the MNS activists, angered by the dean's corrupt actions, stormed into his office, wreaking havoc in their protest. They pointed out that this situation highlights a massive scam and urged for a thorough investigation into the role of not only Bhanginwar but also PMC officials and political figures who may be implicated.
This disturbing event stems from Bhanginwar's demand for a staggering Rs 16 lakh from the father of a student who had successfully cleared the NEET 2023 examination. The student had secured a place in the MBBS program at the medical college, which is operated by the Pune Municipal Corporation. In addition to the demanded bribe, the college dean instructed the father to pay government fees of Rs 22.5 lakh. Frustrated by the extortion, the father took the matter to the ACB.
Upon verifying the details, the ACB team devised a trap and caught the accused dean red-handed as he accepted Rs 10 lakh of the total bribe he had demanded, as part of an instalment. A case has been registered at the Samarth Police Station, and the investigation into the matter is currently ongoing.