Karakonam Medical College Scam: Kerala HC pulls up Crime Branch Over failure to make arrests

Kochi - The Kerala High Court has pulled up the crime branch for failure to arrest the accused in the case of alleged admissions irregularities at the Dr Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College at Karakonam in Thiruvanathapuram.

Considering a report filed by the crime branch on the investigation conducted so far, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan asked whether the investigating officer is afraid to arrest the bishop and others who are alleged to be involved in the scam at Dr Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College.

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The court asked the crime branch, ''Why have bishop Dharmaraj Rasalam and other key accused not been arrested? Is the investigating officer afraid to arrest them?''

However, the prosecution submitted that they were questioned and let off and there is no need to arrest them at present. The court then asked why prosecution is opposing the bail plea of the fourth accused if there is no need to arrest the accused. What is the urgency in the case of the other accused that is absent in the case of the main accused, the court asked.

The case was registered on the allegation that capitation fee upwards of Rs 50 lakh was collected for MD and MBBS seats and then admissions were not given. In addition to the bishop, other key accused include Bennet Abraham, who had contested 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Thiruvananthapuram constituency as a CPI-backed candidate.

The fourth accused, who is an accountant at the college and is accused of receiving the capitation fees, had contended in the bail plea that she was questioned four times by the investigating team.

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