In an aberrant incident, the Union Health Ministry of India issued a notice to a doctor in Delhi after she was absent from duty for about three years and continued to draw salary. The former head of the biochemistry department at GB Pant Hospital in Delhi has been asked to explain her unauthorised absence from duty for around three years while drawing salary during this period .The doctor’s social media profile describes her as a “filmmaker” based in Canada.
The notice that was sent to Dr Manju Subberwal, former head of the biochemistry department at Delhi’s GB Pant Hospital, demanded an explanation for her absence.The notice issued on July 28 questioned why no action should be taken for non-compliance with rules and regulations related to the government officials availing leave. It also asked why the unauthorised absence should not be treated as a break in service and why the allowance and pay should not be recovered. The report, citing sources, added that the health ministry has also sought details from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office for information on the doctor’s visits to India during the said period.
It further added that a chargesheet has been prepared by the hospital in the case and will be submitted to the health ministry. Subberwal was removed from her position as the HoD at the Delhi government-run hospital about a month ago.According to the government rules, doctors in the Central Health Services are entitled to 10 days of earned leave, 10 days of casual leave, and 30 additional teaching leaves every year. For a post-graduate certification course, the approved maximum study leave is 36 months, and those who avail it are required to sign a bond stating they will serve the government for at least five years after their return. According to the rules, no professional can take leave without sanction.
The incident came to light after a complaint was filed by an employee at GIPMER, the medical college associated with the hospital, in May this year. The complainant alleged that Subberwal went to Canada to pursue a filmmaking course in 2022 but was still drawing a full salary.It further alleged that she “hatched a criminal conspiracy with another doctor from her department, who was signing all official papers on her behalf as head of the biochemistry department in her absence, without the approval of the competent authority,” As per the complaint, her actions have resulted in a “financial fraud/ loss” amounting Rs 50 lakh.
“The issue came to light in May when salaries were being disbursed to faculty heads. Officials found a major lapse in her attendance, which had been going on for nearly three years. She would show up at the hospital for just a few days each year. Once, her husband also came to give back-dated leaves. After the matter came to light, she was removed as head of the department, and her salary was put on hold,” a senior doctor at the hospital said.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Subberwal pursued an animation course from July 2019 to December 2020 from an online school and completed a Bachelor of Creative Arts degree from the Toronto Film School with a specialisation in cinematography and film/video production from April 2022 to April 2025. Subberwal’s IMDB page shows that she worked as a writer, director, and producer on three films: Colors (2024), Totka (2021), Yours Faithfully (2019).
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