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Panel to probe ₹1.24 crore irregularities at Yerawada mental hospital
Officials stated that the inquiry follows complaints and findings from a preliminary investigation that revealed serious irregularities in the hospital’s operations
The Maharashtra public health department has established a three-member committee to investigate alleged financial irregularities worth over ₹1.24 crore at the Regional Mental Hospital (RMH) in Yerawada, officials stated on Saturday.
According to a government order issued on February 17, the panel, headed by deputy secretary Kailas Salunkhe and comprising Dr Rajratna Waghmare, joint director of health services (leprosy and tuberculosis), Pune, and Abhijit Patil, assistant director of accounts and audit, Pune, will examine complaints of financial mismanagement and the alleged misuse of government funds at the hospital between 2017 and 2025.
Officials stated that the inquiry follows complaints and findings from a preliminary investigation that revealed serious irregularities in the hospital’s operations.
The committee will scrutinise contracts awarded for works and services at the hospital during the eight years, payments made to contractors, funds received from the government and their utilisation. It has also been authorised to summon hospital officials and staff connected to the case and seek their explanations if required. The panel has been asked to submit its report to the state government within a week.
Spread over 138 acres, RMH is among the largest government-run psychiatric facilities in Maharashtra. The hospital has an indoor capacity of 2,540 patients and currently houses 941 inmates.
Earlier, in January 2025, the public health department had constituted a five-member committee to probe corruption allegations at the hospital following a complaint by health activist Sharad Shetty. The committee was tasked with examining financial transactions and services at the hospital dating back to 2017.
Investigators found that more than ₹1.24 crore in government funds had allegedly been misused, affecting essential services such as patient care, sanitation and food supply. Patients were reportedly living in unhygienic conditions, forced to bathe in cold water due to a non-functional solar heating system, and served substandard food despite full payments being made to contractors.
The panel submitted its report on March 12, 2025, following which hospital authorities filed a chargesheet on June 16, 2025, against several officials.
The preliminary probe also flagged concerns over financial irregularities, human rights violations and neglect of patients at the hospital.
Confirming the development, RMH medical superintendent Dr Shrinivas Kolod said the probe had begun.
“Two members, Dr Waghmare and Dr Patil, visited the hospital last week. The visit of the panel head, deputy secretary Salunkhe, is pending. We are cooperating with the officials and have issued similar instructions to the hospital staff,” he said.
