MBBS Seats in Pakistan being Sold in Kashmir: ED tracks down six students in connection

New Delhi: In the latest update regarding the ongoing investigation in connection with the scam concerning "selling" of MBBS seats in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) by some separatist leaders, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has tracked down altogether six students who had been admitted in the medical colleges in Pakistan by paying money in Kashmir to people who had made required arrangements in this regard.

ED officials informed that dozens of students had obtained their degrees from the medical colleges and other professional colleges in Pakistan in the last one decade.

According to them, several of these students had paid money to the men having close connection with the separatist leaders. They added, “Even some officials in the government got their relatives admitted in the Pakistani colleges on the recommendation letters of senior separatist leaders.”

Also Read: Selling of MBBS Seats in Pakistan to Kashmiri students, ED raids 3 places in connection

It has further been revealed by the ED officials who are investigating the matter that the separatist leaders based in Kashmir used to give recommendation letters to students. Using these letters, the students used to ensure their admission "free of cost" or by paying only the minimal charges, adds Hindustan Times.

The investigation related to this practice of selling of MBBS seats in Pakistan is underway for quite some time. Medical Dialogues had reported back in 2021 that the Jammu and Kashmir Police had arrested four separatist leaders for 'selling' MBBS seats in Pakistan to Kashmiri students and using the money to fund militancy. Among those four arrested, Mohammed Akbar Bhar alias Zafar Bhat, who was the chairman of the salvation movement, was also included. Apart from Bhat, Fatima Shah, Mohammed Abdullah Shah, and Shabzar Ahmed Sheikh had also been arrested.

The Counter Intelligence (Kashmir), a branch of CID Department of J&K Police, had registered a case in July 2020 after receiving information that several unscrupulous persons, including some Hurriyat Conference leaders, were in collusion with some educational consultancies selling MBBS and other professional course seats in different colleges and universities in Pakistan to Kashmiri students.

An official of ED informed PTI that the Directorate has recently carried out searches at 10 places across four districts in the Kashmir valley as part of its ongoing probe against conspirators involved in arranging admissions for money in various courses, including MBBS in Pakistan, to fund terror activities.

The ED’s Srinagar Zonal office carried out the search recently under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at 10 locations in Srinagar, Budgam, Kupwara and Anantnag districts, the official said.

He said the raids were conducted in respect of an investigation relating to the involvement of conspirators who were hand-in-glove with some educational consultancies and manipulating or arranging admission of J-K students in various professional courses, including MBBS in Pakistan-based colleges, institutions and universities.

In May last year, a special NIA court had framed charges against eight persons, including arrested Hurriyat leader Mohammad Akbar Bhat alias “Zaffar Bhat” for selling Pakistani MBBS seats in Jammu and Kashmir to fund terror activities. The case was registered against the “unscrupulous persons” by the State Investigation Agency (SIA) on July 27, 2020.

The official said the ED initiated probe on the basis of the FIR registered under various sections of UA(P) Act and the Indian Penal Code, and chargesheet filed by counter-intelligence Kashmir, Srinagar, against various accused, including Bhat, Fatima Shah, Altaf Ahmad Bhat, Qazi Yasir, Mohd Abdullah Shah, Sabzar Ahmad Sheikh, Manzoor Ahmad Shah, Mohd Iqbal Mir and Syed Khalid Geelani alias Khalid Andrabi, for their involvement in accumulating funds for terror activities on the pretext of admission of J-K students in various professional courses in Pakistan-based institutions.

“PMLA investigation has also revealed that many times, these admissions are actually part of the Technical Assistance Programme (TAP) and are offered to foreign students either free or at nominal charges on an annual basis.

“However, hefty charges were being levied on the students and the extra money so earned, was ploughed into supporting terrorism in myriad ways on the instructions of Pakistan-based handlers as well as those sitting in Jammu and Kashmir,” the official said.

As of now, the official said proceeds of crime to the tune of about Rs 1 crore have been determined and six people have been identified who had been admitted to various institutions in Pakistan by such elements.

“During the course of search operations, documents related to immovable properties and highly incriminating material, including digital devices related to the scam, have been recovered and seized,” the official said, adding further investigation is in progress.

Also Read: Charge sheet against 9 in MBBS seat selling case