Forensic Medicine

Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology was in collaboration with Department of Pathology till 1966. In 1966, department was separated from pathology and was headed by part time Associate Professor Dr. Borkar. Subsecuquently in 1967, Dr. Borkar resigned from the department and interim charge was handed over to honorary lecturer Dr. B. S. Shewade till 1974. There on Dr. S. R. Gawanekar (Dr. S. P. Kuchelkar) along with Dr. S. M. Vaidya joined as a lecturer. In 1979, Dr. S. P. Kuchelkar was promoted as Associated Professor in this department. She served the department to best of her ability and contributed till March 1984.

Meanwhile after March 1984, there was no teaching staff to look after the department, hence then Dean Dr. J. V. Bhatt requested Dr. P. Patnani to join the department as honorary Professor and Head. Dr. P. Patnani effectively joined the department in Aug. 1984. Thereafter, Dr. V. R. Dhakane, Dr. R. K. Tapase and Dr. Mukesh Ghuge joined this department. Dr. V. R. Dhakane joined in 1989 and had an accidental death in 2002. Late Dr. V. R. Dhakane contribution to this department was appreciated by the administration, police and the public. Dr. R. K. Tapase was MD in pathology joined this department in 1992 and resigned in 1998. Dr. Mukesh S. Ghuge joined this department in 1993 and resigned in 2008 after his meritorious service of 15 years. Dr. Harish M. Pathak, MD (Forensic Medicine) was transferred from Seth G. S. Medical College in Oct. 1998. Dr. H. M. Pathak was lecturer (Q) at Seth G. S. Medical College since 1995. He was the only post graduate in forensic medicine at the time of joining the department in 1998. Dr. P. Patnani retired in 2002 as honorary professor & head and he passed away in 2003. Late Dr. P. Patnani was a great scholar and eminent personality in the field of medico legal science. Dr. P. Patnani was also called by USA in month of June in month of 1984 as an expert forensic pathologist in a first degree murder trial of an Indian baby sitter who had accidentally dropped a child from her hand. This was the first case in the history of forensic medicine in India that a forensic pathologist was invited from Indian subcontinent to handle the medical aspects of a murder trial in USA. Dr. P. Patnani was also requested by Commissioner of Police, Mumbai to investigate another international case where a Philipino student had fallen to her death at BARC hostel and her father, a Judge in Manila had level charges of robbery, rape and murder against the guide of his daughter.

Dr. Harish M. Pathak apart from routine medicolegal cases in Mumbai was also called as an expert from Chief Ontario Province Canada in Dr. Asha Devi Goyal murder case. Dr. Harish M. Pathak was promoted as an Associate Professor in 2001. He was transferred as an additional project director to EMDAC Mumbai.

Dr. Rajesh Dere MD (Forensic Medicine) joined the department in August 2003. Dr. R. R. Sawardekar was appointed as Professor and Head in 2006. Dr. R. R. Sawardekar was previously in charge head of the department at Seth G. S. Medical College from. He has vast experience of nearly 23 years of teaching in forensic medicine with recognition of postgraduate teacher. He has provided his expert opinion concerned with the deaths of 1992-93 riots along with guidance to the investigating agencies in Gavdevi liquor tragedy 2004. being head of the department, he was instrumental in supervising the activities during Taj terror strike conducted by the staff members of the department at LTMMC Sion. He is also credited with paper setter for undergraduate and post graduate exams along with MPSC.

Being head of the department he provides and supervises academic and medicolegal activities of the department and of the institution in the cases as and when required.

Dr. Rajesh Dere since inception as a lecturer has pioneered the academic and the medicolegal activities of the department. His constant endeavour in upgrading medicolegal activities of the institution has resulted to the effect, that the institution conducts maximum medicolegal work in and around Mumbai. His sincere efforts in the arena of medicolegal science has been appreciated by the state during the bomb blast occurred in the train in 2005. During the Taj terror strike in 2008, his expertise and dedication of medicolegal work is being appreciated by the State Government and also by Consulate General De France and Consulate General of Israel at international forum. He is also credited as an adviser and authority for age estimation by Sports Authority of India, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of India, for the current international mega event of Commonwealth Games 2010 at NEW DELHI. His social commitment and duty towards the society and medical teachers of this institution has credited him with

Dr. Dhiraj D. Buchade had joined the department on 25th Aug 2009 as an Asst.professor with previous teaching experience of teaching of 1 year from D Y Patil Medical college, Nerul Navi Mumbai. He had passed his MD (Forensic Medicine) from Topiwala National Medical College, Mumbai Central in 2008.He was instrumental in developing dept