MBBS seat scam: No bail of doctor accused of duping businessmen of Rs 1.2 crore
Mumbai: Noting that there is sufficient evidence to prove the crime, the Bombay High Court last week rejected a plea for anticipatory bail of a doctor involved in a medical college seat scam.
The doctor was arrested last month for allegedly defrauding two businessmen of Rs 1.2 crore on the pretext of securing their children a seat at Seth GS Medical College attached to Parel’s KEM hospital under management quota.
Dismissing his bail application, the court observed that the doctor needed to be detained in judicial custody since he would be subjected to additional interrogation in light of the evidence collected by the police.
Also read- MBBS Seat Scam: Doctor Booked For Defrauding Parents Of Two Medical Aspirants Of Rs 1.2 Crore
The court passed the order on January 19 highlighting the existence of WhatsApp messages that were exchanged in connection with the medical college seat scam. Moreover, the court also emphasised the incriminating bank entries in the records that required further investigation, The Indian Express reports.
Medical dialogues team had earlier reported this incident where a doctor and two others were accused of defrauding two businessmen of Rs 1.2 crore. They promised to secure their children a seat at Parel’s KEM hospital under management quota.
Following their alleged crime, the accused persons - Dr Hiten Kenia, Heena and Jeevan were booked on Monday under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
The complainant Dediya, a general store owner from Borivali (West) and his friend Desai who is also a businessman met with Dr Hiten and trusted the doctor when he allegedly said that he would secure a seat for his daughter and son at the Seth GS Medical College attached to the KEM Hospital under the management quota.
Following this, Dediya took his 95-year-old grandfather to Dr Hiten Keniya’s clinic in Borivali East. During their discussion, Dediya shared his interest in the KEM Hospital and informed the doctor that he would want a seat for his daughter there. The doctor allegedly then bragged about his connection that could secure a seat for his daughter at the medical college. Meanwhile, Desai who is the friend of Dediya also went to the doctor's clinic and was given the same promise.
Dediya and Desai went to the doctor's clinic again where they met Heena, introduced by the doctor. They confirmed the deal and Heena demanded Rs 60 lakh from each of them for each seat.
“On March 12, Dr Kenia introduced Dedia and Desai to Heena at his clinic. She told them that she would get the admission work done through a person named Jeevan. She said that to do this work each admission will cost Rs 57.5 lakh. The doctor also promised a refund of the entire amount if the admission work is not done,” the FIR stated.
Both the complainants agreed to pay the amount to get the work down. However, the complainants later noticed that their son and daughter received enough marks in the NEET entrance exam to secure a seat on a merit basis. Hence, they went to the doctor and asked for a refund of their previous payment but the doctor insisted that they could still secure a seat under management quota.
When the complaint refused the offer and asked for a refund, the doctor said that he had given the amount to Heena. In addition, Dr Kenai said that he was also defrauded by Heena. However, Heena said that she did not make a deal with the complainants and that she was only an insurance agent who knew Keniya but did not know Desai and Dediya.
