Bombay HC vacation bench directed return of original documents to two JJ hospital junior doctors without insisting on bond deposit | Mumbai News
MUMBAI: In a major relief to 2 young doctors who resigned from Maharashtra govt-run JJ Hospital, the Bombay High Court vacation bench on Tuesday directed the return of their original documents without insisting on withholding the Rs 20 lakh they needed to deposit. The duo, who joined JJ for MCH Neurosurgery as junior doctors between June and August, soon resigned, citing allegedly “unsanitary” living conditions at the hostel and sleep deprivation.Navi Mumbai-based Swapnil Kolape and Lucknow-based Pooja Modanwal, both 31 years old, moved the HC, aggrieved by the non-return of the original documents and being forced by the State to deposit Rs 20 lakh as a bond.On December 29, the vacation bench HC Judge, Justice Ashwin Bhobhe, heard Aditya Sanghi, senior counsel who appeared for the young doctors, and Jaymala Ostwal, Additional Govt Pleader for the State and the hospital. The State lawyer said that if the duo were agreeable to give an undertaking in the format suggested by her, the HC could consider the release of the documents, subject to the final order that may be passed in the petition.Sanghi sought time until Tuesday to tender the undertaking and said they would not claim any equities. He argued that the duo are brilliant students who were granted admission by Sir JJ Hospital as junior doctors in 2025 and were allotted a super-speciality seat in neurosurgery at Grant Medical College.However, looking at the “deplorable and most pathetic condition of hostels where in 1 single room 5 students are made to sleep and there is no privacy for females in the hostels…”, they resigned on November 17, 2025, and demanded the return of their original documents so that they could appear in NEET for other colleges to get entry, Sanghi submitted.The college cited the rules and the clause of penalty and bond for non-completion of the junior residency tenure, and for a lapse of seat or admission cancellation after the cut-off, requiring students to pay Rs 20 lakh. It said the documents would be handed back once the penalty was paid, and the deposited fees would be non-refundable too.The students said they needed the documents for the next NEET, which was on December 26-27. Dr Modanwal submitted that she cleared the entrance exam for AIIMS New Delhi and she was in merit position 20 in the general category, but she could get admission in AIIMS only if she deposited all original documents by December 31, 2025. With the relief from the Bombay HC vacation bench for immediate release of their documents, she can now secure her seat at AIIMS, her lawyer said.
