AFMC frees MBBS graduate of Rs 3-lakh bond

AFMC frees MBBS graduate of Rs 3-lakh bond
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

PUNE, SEPTEMBER 15: In response to a report published in The Indian Express on September 10, 2000, highlighting the plight of an Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) doctor, Harinder Dhaliwal, who had become a paraplegic because of an accident, the AFMC has written in to say that the bond money of Rs 3 lakhs demanded from the injured doctor has been waived.

According to an AFMC spokesman, the waiver was decided upon on September 8, two days before the report was published. But the family had not received any intimation in this regard till the report appeared. After the report was published, they were informed by the Office of the Director General of Medical Services in New Delhi that a letter had been issued waiving the bond money in response to the application filed by his father in February 2000.

Harinder's father, Col S S Dhaliwal, was also informed of the waiver over the phone on September 12 though no written communication to that effect has been received by him so far.

Harinder, an AFMC entrance examination topper, met with an accident in October 1998 on the Leh-Thoise stretch while he was visiting his father who was posted in the Siachen sector. The accident damaged his spine which left him paralysed waist downwards. While he was allowed to complete his MBBS from AFMC, he had been asked by the college early this year to repay the bond money of Rs 3 lakhs as he had been declared medically unfit for military service after the accident.

Harinder's father had appealed to Defence Minister George Fernandes for waiving the bond amount in February 2000 and followed it up with a reminder in July 2000 without a response. Four days ago he was verbally informed by the Commandant AFMC that the waiver had been granted.