Casteist remarks: JJ Hospital dean seeks discharge from case

Dean of state-run JJ Hospital, T P Lahane, who is accused of making casteist remarks against a sweeper, today approached a sessions court seeking discharge from the case.
"Dr T P Lahane has filed an application seeking discharge from the casteist slur case and it will come up for hearing next week," his lawyer Swapna Kode told PTI.
Lahane, a noted ophthalmologist and a Padma Shri awardee, is facing a criminal complaint under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act after Narayan Waghela, a sweeper, was accused of hurling a casteist abuse in February last year.
He was later granted pre-arrest bail.

The surgeon has sought discharge saying that police have not obtained the mandatory sanction to prosecute him as he is a public servant.
Lahane has said that he was falsely implicated in the case.

Lahane said in his application that since he himself belongs to Nomadic Tribe he could not have committed such an offence.
He said such a complaint against him will be a "blot on his career" and shall have effects on his future.
According to the complaint, Lahane got into an argument with Waghela when the latter asked another sweeper to stop working as all temporary Class IV employees were on strike.

Lahane had earlier approached the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory bail and for quashing of the case.
The high court, however, directed him to approach the sessions court first.