Seat Blocking Scam in Telangana: ED Raids 12 Medical Colleges to Investigate Financial Irregularities
Hyderabad: Investigating alleged seat-blocking fraud and irregularities in the financial transactions, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Wednesday conducted searches on 12 medical colleges in Telangana. ED searched at altogether 16 locations looking for documents and evidence.
Allegedly, some medical colleges, which are affiliated with Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS), sold the seats for higher prices by blocking them in a dubious manner last year.
IANS adds that the personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were providing security to the ED teams conducting searches at various premises. The ED officials were reportedly checking records of financial transactions at these colleges following allegations of irregularities.
The ED officials began simultaneous searches in the morning at multiple locations in Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Mahabunagar and other places. Searches were on at Malla Reddy Medical College at Suraram on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The college is run by Malla Reddy group of institutions owned by Telangana labour minister Malla Reddy.
Searches were also conducted at the corporate office of Prathima Group at Film Nagar in Hyderabad. The ED officials were also conducting searches at other offices of Prathima Group.
The central agency was also carrying out searches at Prathima Medical College and Prathima Multiplex in Karimnagar. Searches were also on at Chalmeda Ananda Rao Medical College in Karimnagar.
The ED officials were also conducting searches at Kamineni Medical College at L.B. Nagar Hyderabad, SVS Medical College in Mahabubnagar, MNR Medical College in Sangareddy district.
Also Read: PG Medical Seat Blocking Scam in Telangana: Governor seeks report from KNRUHS
As per the latest media report by the Times of India, ED also conducted searches on Mamatha Medical College in Khammam, Bhaskar Medical College in Moinabad, Rangareddy district, MediCiti Institute of Medical Sciences, Medchal, Maheswara Medical College, Patancheru, Patnam Mahendar Reddy Medical College, Chevella, and Deccan College of Medical Sciences in city.
The daily adds that the case was registered after the registrar of KNRUHS, Praveen Kumar filed a complaint at the Matwada police station in Warangal in April last year. Around 45 seats were allegedly blocked under the convenor quota or free seats, on the basis of the merit in the NEET PG examination, by using the names of students hailing from northern states of the country.
When the University authorities contacted the students, using whose names the seats had been blocked, it was revealed that they had never even applied for admission at KNRUHS. The University authorities thereafter became suspicious that some of the private medical colleges were involved in the fraud to transfer the blocked seats to NRI quota in exchange for substantial financial gains.
Also Read: Telangana Seat Blocking Scam: Private medical colleges booked, KNRUHS increases Exit Fee
Further, the Daily adds that the University officials had identified discrepancies in the merit list of 45 applicants during the admission process. After probing the matter further, it was confirmed that these candidates never intended to seek admission in the colleges under KNRUHS. Because of these alleged irregularities, eligible rank holders from the State could not get admission in these medical colleges.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the seat blocking scam in Telangana, where the Governor had written to the Vice Chancellor of KNRUHS seeking a detailed report regarding the matter on an urgent basis.
The university authorities, while checking the ongoing admission process, recently found some "discrepancies" in the merit list with regard to 45 applicants (wherein seats were blocked in the names of students), who had applied for counselling for admission into postgraduate courses offered by private medical colleges.
Subsequently, the university authorities wrote to such students asking them if they had applied, but most students said they had not sought admissions (that they had not blocked the seats) at the KNRUHS.
Later, initiating action against the alleged seat-blocking scam, Matwada Police had booked a few private medical colleges of the State after receiving directions in this regard from Warangal Commissioner of Police. Apart from booking the colleges under Section 417 and 420 of IPC, the matter had also been referred to the National Medical Commission (NMC).
While considering a similar matter concerning the seat-blocking scam, the Telangana High Court had slammed the authorities of KNRUHS for encouraging a multi-crore PG medical seat-blocking scam and further observed it to be only the tip of the iceberg.
These observations were made by the HC bench while considering a case of a PG medical aspirant who lost her opportunity of getting admitted to her preferred course of PG dermatology because of seat had already been allotted to another student, allegedly as a part of the scam.
