Uttarakhand MBBS seat fraud: 4 students booked over fake freedom fighter quota certificates for admission

Dehradun: Altogether five individuals, including four female students, were booked for allegedly using fake documents to obtain MBBS seats under the Freedom Fighters' Dependants quota in Uttarakhand.

Busting the illegal racket, the Raipur and Clement Town police stations registered FIRs against the accused under Sections 318(4), 338 and 340 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) after an inquiry conducted on the orders of the District Magistrate’s office found the documents submitted by the accused to be fake and subsequently cancelled the certificates.

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As per Live Hindustan media report, around nine MBBS seats were allotted in Uttarakhand under the Freedom Fighters' Dependants quota after NEET-UG counselling, following which five candidates took admission. However, during document verification, the officials found discrepancies in the certificates of four candidates.

The issue came to light after certificates issued by the Revenue Department were verified following the allotment of MBBS seats. The certificates were later cancelled after the documents were found to be fake, and accordingly cancelled their admission.

According to the police, the accused students allegedly used fake documents and Aadhaar cards while applying for the quota certificates.

Meanwhile, an investigation is underway to find out if more people are involved in the case.

So far, as per the investigation, the addresses mentioned on the Aadhaar cards could not be verified. Police are now looking for the applicants named in the cases. They will examine the Aadhaar cards, photographs and mobile numbers used in the applications. The documents submitted for preparing the Aadhaar cards will also be checked.

At the same time, the candidates’ original NEET application records will also be obtained and examined.

Among the accused students, the first one who scored 234 marks in NEET, was allotted a medical college in Srinagar, whereas the second scored 301 marks and was also allotted a college in Srinagar, while the third scored 338 marks and was allotted a college in Haldwani, and the fourth scored 400 marks and was allotted a medical college in Haridwar.

Following the alleged irregularities in certificates issued for Freedom Fighters’ Dependants quota seats in Dehradun, MBBS seats under the SC-ST quota have also come under scrutiny.

HNB Medical University has issued notices to eight students who took admission under the SC-ST quota, six from government medical colleges and two from private medical colleges. The students have been asked to appear before the university with their original domicile, caste and reservation-related documents.

University Controller of Examinations Prof Vijay Juyal said the university received several emails and written complaints about documents submitted by candidates who claimed reservation benefits during the first round of NEET-UG counselling. The university has also directed principals of all affiliated medical colleges to ensure proper verification.

Going forward, admissions based on reservation or domicile certificates will be made permanent only after verification by the district administration.

City Superintendent of Police Pramod Kumar informed the daily that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is likely to be formed.

The proposed SIT will investigate both cases registered at Raipur and Clement Town police stations.

Further investigation is under process.

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