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

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that back in 2021, 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.

He had earlier informed that the investigation revealed that the money collected from the parents of the aspiring students was used to support and fund militancy and separatism in different ways. Accordingly, a case was registered under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The spokesperson had said that during further investigation it surfaced that many MBBS and other professional degree seats were given to those students, who were close family members or relative of killed militants. "It was also revealed that quota allotted to individual Hurriyat Conference leaders was sold to desperate parents, who wanted their children to get MBBS and other professional degrees," he had mentioned.

Later, the Special Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police had filed its charge sheet against nine people in this connection. During investigation, oral, documentary and technical evidence was collected and in analysis it surfaced that MBBS and other professional degrees-related seats were preferentially given to those students who were close family members or relatives of killed terrorists.

Evidence also came on record to show that money had been put into channels that ended up supporting programmes and projects pertaining to terrorism and separatism, which included the unrest after the killing of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of banned Hizbul Mujahideen terror group, in 2016. The money was also used in failed efforts to disrupt peace after the abrogation of the erstwhile state's special status in August, 2019.

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

Meanwhile, NMC had warned the medical and dental aspirants against taking admission in MBBS/BDS courses in Pakistan. Issuing a public notice in this regard on April 28, 2022, NMC, the apex medical regulator in India had mentioned that the MBBS/BDS graduates from Pakistan will not be eligible to appear in the FMGE screening test and practice in India.

The NMC public notice dated April 28 read, "All concerned are advised not to travel to Pakistan for pursuing Medical Education. Any Indian national/Overseas Citizen of India who intends to take admission in MBBS/BDS or equivalent medical course in any medical college of Pakistan shall not be eligible for appearing in FMGE or seeking employment in India on the basis of educational qualifications (in any subject) acquired in Pakistan except those who had joined Pakistan degree colleges/institutions before December 2018 or later after obtaining Security Clearance from MHS till date."

Also Read: MBBS, BDS degrees from Pakistan Not Valid: NMC, DCI