Andhare alleges Bhuse pressurised Sassoon to admit drug kingpin

Andhare’s allegations come at a time when Kasba Peth MLA Ravindra Dhangekar during his visit to the Sassoon hospital on Tuesday questioned Dr Sanjeev Thakur, dean of BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital

Pune: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare on Tuesday alleged that state minister Dada Bhuse played a role in getting drug kingpin Lalit Patil admitted at state-run Sassoon General Hospital (SGH). Bhuse on his part denied the charges saying he is open to any probe.

Dhangekar asked the dean why Patil was not discharged from the hospital and sent back to the jail despite letters from the prison department. Thakur did not respond to media queries. (HT PHOTO)

“Sassoon Hospital administration was not ready to admit Patil to the hospital, but minister Bhuse called up the hospital administration. Check his call records to find out the facts in the case,” Andhare said, days after the 34-year-old Yerawada jail managed to escape from the hospital.

Andhare’s allegations come at a time when Kasba Peth MLA Ravindra Dhangekar during his visit to the Sassoon hospital on Tuesday questioned Dr Sanjeev Thakur, dean of BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital.

Dhangekar asked the dean why Patil was not discharged from the hospital and sent back to the jail despite letters from the prison department. Thakur did not respond to media queries.

Andhare said that Congress leader Nana Patole and MLA Dhangekar have alleged the role of the Shinde-faction MLA in the drug kingpin case.

“Everybody knew who the person was, but nobody dared to speak the name. If the name of Dada Bhuse is there, his call records must be checked. Why should questions not be asked to him and if the home department is serious, then a probe must be initiated in this regard,” Andhare alleged.

Bhuse said that whoever has helped Patil and if his name is available, then the same must be informed by Andhare or others, including Patole, to the police for investigation rather than waiting for the assembly session.

Bhuse said he is ready to face any inquiry in connection with the incident. “Let the highest authorities probe the incident and if the allegations proved to be false, then Andhare should apologise before everybody in Malegaon,” he said.

His cabinet colleague and industries minister Uday Samant said that Bhuse is an efficient minister, and the allegations were levelled to defame Bhuse’s image in society.

Meanwhile, in a daring escape, Patil, who was allegedly running a drug ring from ward number 16 of the Sassoon General Hospital, escaped from the hospital on Monday exposing the lax security arrangement and oversight that led to the incident and raising questions over the role of the hospital administration.