While pursuing a postgraduate medical course, a doctor in Karnataka’s Bagalkot district has faced government action after she remained away from a government-run Namma Clinic where she was posted as a contractual medical officer. Dr Ankita R Yaragal, who was appointed as a contractual medical officer at Namma Clinic in Wambe Colony and received a monthly salary of Rs 75,000, has been under investigation for not being there.
Dr Ankita is the niece of Bagalkot MLA Umesh Meti and the daughter of Bagalkot District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Rajkumar Yaragal. She was appointed as a medical officer at Namma Clinic in April 2025. She also joined an MD course in Pathology at a private medical college in March 2026 without resigning from the medical officer position.
The controversy came to light after complaints about her alleged absence from the clinic. Bagalkot Taluk Health Officer Dr Saraswati Magi went to the Wambe Colony facility and found Dr Ankita absent, the official said. Patients reported that the doctor had not been regularly visiting the clinic for several months while nursing staff were handling services.
Allegations Over Clinic Attendance
Raju Naik, another local activist, claimed Dr Ankita had not been attending the clinic while her attendance was being recorded. He said she received a monthly salary of Rs 75,000 while pursuing her postgraduate course.
These allegations have not been taken as final findings. The authorities have opened an investigation into whether her simultaneous medical studies and contractual government appointment were in breach of service conditions and professional requirements.
According to reports, the district administration sought a report from the DHO after the allegations came up. Bagalkot Zilla Panchayat CEO Gajanan Bale took action against the medical officer. The Karnataka Government has since terminated her contractual appointment, according to a report by The Indian Express.
MD Course And Government Appointment Under Scrutiny
One of the main issues being addressed is whether Dr Ankita can continue to hold the medical officer post while completing a full-time MD course at a private medical college.
The Namma Clinic, however, is a government healthcare facility that is supposed to provide basic medical services for residents. This has raised questions over the healthcare service delivery at the clinic without a medical officer.
The inquiry will focus on the circumstances of her appointment, attendance records, postgraduate admission, and any remuneration released during the relevant period.
Father Denies Releasing Salary
Dr Rajkumar Yaragal denied some of the allegations about the payment of salary. He said his daughter’s appointment took place during the tenure of his predecessor Dr Manjunath Dodderi and claimed that he had not released her salary after taking charge as DHO.
He also said that he had instructed the taluk health officer to relieve Dr Ankita from her duties.
The response adds another dimension to the case as the inquiry will need to establish whether any remuneration was actually released during the period under scrutiny and, if so, under whose authorization.
Neither Dr Ankita Yaragal nor MLA Umesh Meti had publicly commented on the allegations at the time of the reports cited.
Government Action And Further Proceedings
The case has attracted attention because it relates to a government medical post, attendance records, and simultaneous postgraduate education. It’s a question of whether the circumstances amounted to a violation of the rules.
If the inquiry establishes that payments were made during a period of unauthorized absence or dual engagement, the authorities may recover the amounts in accordance with the rules. Further disciplinary or professional action might follow if the proceedings are satisfactory.
The big questions are whether Dr Ankita was authorized to pursue her MD course while she was in a contractual medical officer position, whether she had to visit the Namma Clinic during that period, and whether the reported salary payments were actually made.
The case has also raised questions over the functioning of the Wambe Colony Namma Clinic and whether patients were able to access medical care even though the absence was being declared. We expect the administrative process to reveal whether more than one person should be held responsible and for what.
