PGI resident doctor alleges harassment, institutional vendetta for questioning missing Rs 2.5 crore

Chandigarh: Serious allegations of harassment, social discrimination, mental torture, false ragging complaints, institutional bias and misuse of power have been raised against the administration of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, by its former Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) President over the past year.

A DM resident in Intensive Care Medicine who supported the junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in their journey of seeking justice for Abhaya has accused the PGIMER Director, senior faculty members, and the previous ARD team of targeting him after he questioned financial irregularities involving Rs 2.5 crore of resident funds.

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Allegations timeline

In March 2024, soon after being elected ARD President, the doctor demanded transparency over the missing funds. He claims this led to threats, casteist remarks, and false complaints against him.

"I was democratically elected as President of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) by more than 1100 residents, marking the start of retaliation, humiliation, and social isolation - particularly because I started exposing financial irregularities and refused to compromise on ethics," the doctor said in an email.

He further stated, "Upon assuming office, I began seeking transparency regarding 2.5 crores in unaccounted expenses by the previous ARD team (2022- 23), which had not been audited per ARD by-laws. I raised this officially, and immediately began facing retaliation, including threats to stay silent."

In August 2024, a non-resident student filed a ragging complaint against him. PGIMER’s internal committee reportedly found no evidence, but no final report was released. An RTI reply in 2025 allegedly falsely stated that “no complaint was received,” which he says proves a cover-up.

In October 2024, after a female resident was assaulted in the Emergency OPD, the resident doctor and his colleagues sought an FIR. He alleges that the Director abused him publicly, calling him a “nonsense moron”. The next day, media reports blamed him for the service disruption. Afterwards, residents and nurses gave statements in his support.

On October 15, 2024, he claims he resigned at 1 AM under pressure but withdrew the resignation at 11 AM. PGIMER allegedly retroactively accepted the resignation, ignoring his withdrawal.

Challenging the financial irregularities and harassment, the doctor moved to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. However, instead of examining the charges of harassment and irregularities, PGIMER argued in court that resident doctors are “employees” and not “students,” and therefore, his case should be heard before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). The High Court directed him to approach the tribunal.

Complaints and evidence

The doctor has filed multiple complaints with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National OBC Commission, UGC National Anti-Ragging Cell, and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, attaching audio recordings, emails, and documents as proof.

In those emails, he alleged continuous blackmail and mental torture between April and September 2024, hate speech and caste-based humiliation in official meetings, denial of academic opportunities, including refusal of permission to present his research at an international conference despite having the department's approval and attempts to force him into an unconditional apology and withdrawal of complaints.

"A false mental harassment complaint was filed by the then ARD Treasurer without evidence. An SC/ST complaint was filed by the former ARD UC Secretary with no proof. I was threatened by an Associate Professor to accept the false charges," he alleged.

In a formal representation to the Ministry of Social Justice, he wrote that his OBC background and rural Tamil Nadu roots made him an easy target for institutional discrimination.

"I was mocked and sidelined in meetings. I was also advised to "fall at their feet and apologise" to save my career - a statement soaked in feudal, casteist overtones targeting my background," he said.

Among those emails sent to the higher educational authorities, he had constantly sought an independent inquiry into the allegations, restore his DM training and declare his resignation invalid, investigate the role of PGIMER Director Prof. Vivek Lal, and others involved in the abuse of power, harassment, and caste-based humiliation, protect whistleblowers and students from marginalized backgrounds at premier institutions like PGIMER and direct PGIMER to act against the misuse of anti-ragging provisions.

Despite multiple complaints and evidence submissions, the resident doctor confirmed that no action has been taken so far, leaving him to fight the battle alone.

Meanwhile, Medical Dialogues recently reported that the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, came under the scanner of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) over allegations of discrimination and harassment faced by a Scheduled Caste employee.

The Commission issued a formal notice to PGIMER on September 4 after receiving a complaint from the doctor on February 21, 2025. The NCSC has invoked its powers under Article 338 of the Constitution of India to inquire into the matter.

In its notice, the Commission has directed PGIMER to submit details of the allegations along with the action taken report within 15 days of receiving the communication. The notice warned that if PGIMER fails to respond in time, the Commission may exercise powers similar to those of the Civil Courts.

All the evidence and information regarding the allegations was shared by a doctor on a popular social media platform, 'X' (formerly Twitter). The doctor spoke to him and learned about the incidents. Then he decided to share the matter online so that it would reach the public at large.

Sharing the photos of emails and documents, the doctor asked, "What happens when the elected leader of India’s top residents' body demands transparency over ₹2.5 CR? What happens when a leader dares to take a stand in solidarity with his own colleagues on Hunger Strike (almost on the verge of death)? Here is the story of how PGIMER Chandigarh has turned its might on him, whistle-blower and Bengal-solidarity hero who is now battling institutional vendetta at home."

"The doctor is fighting his battle all alone for months now and has reached out as he needs our support right now! I share all evidence in this thread and bring to the public how he has been targeted and harassed for standing up for what is right," he added.

Also read- PGI Chandigarh under Scheduled Caste panel scrutiny over discrimination allegations