Massive Medical College Scam Exposed: Godman, Ex-UGC Chief Among 34 Named
Massive Medical College Scam Exposed: Godman, Ex-UGC Chief Among 34 Named
The CBI exposes a vast scam in India's medical colleges involving top officials and a spiritual leader. Learn about the key players and the impact on education.
One of the largest education scams involving medical colleges in India has been discovered by the CBI, the nation's top investigative agency.
Medical Education Reveals A Nationwide Racket
Thirty-four influential individuals are charged, including former Education Chief DP Singh, several government health officials, and renowned spiritual leader (godman) Ravi Shankar Maharaj. These individuals are suspected of accepting large bribes to assist private medical schools in obtaining unlawful approvals.
The scam operated in several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. It began when the CBI detained three doctors for accepting ₹55 lakh, or roughly $65,000, in exchange for providing a positive inspection report to a college owned by the Godman's Trust.
Temple Funds, Bribed Officials, and Fake Teachers were Discovered
India's Health Ministry was reportedly at the center of the scam. In exchange for large bribes, eight officials there surreptitiously took pictures of private documents and gave the college administration the names of the officers and the dates of inspections. For instance, Mayur Raval, the university registrar, is accused of charging ₹25–30 lakh to divulge the details of a confidential inspection.
According to reports, the godman influenced reports by getting in touch with former education head DP Singh, who then dispatched an assistant for the position. By bribing assessors, employing phony instructors, or even admitting fictitious patients to demonstrate that everything was OK, colleges could use these leaked details to rig inspections.
To deceive inspectors, colleges employed startling tactics. According to an HT report, chairman Suresh Bhadoria of Indore's Index Medical College forged doctors' fingerprint attendance using artificial rubber fingers.
Agents such as Hari Prasad of Andhra Pradesh were paid by Southern colleges to set up "dummy teachers" for inspections. In Visakhapatnam, one college director paid ₹50 lakh, and in Warangal, another paid more than ₹4 crore in bribes. Through covert hawala networks, the illicit funds were transferred. In a strange turn of events, a ₹75 lakh Hanuman temple in Rajasthan was constructed with some of the bribes, which were managed by an official by the name of Jeetu Lal Meena.
This is one of the worst medical education scams in India, according to the CBI, and it affects more than 40 colleges across the country. The investigation is still ongoing even though eight people—including three doctors and a college director—have already been taken into custody. The agency discovered that college bosses, agents, inspection teams, and ministry officials collaborated like a criminal organization. This fraud allowed unqualified colleges to operate, endangering the quality of medical education.
As they track down the hawala money and investigate all of the suspects, including the well-known godman and former UGC chief, the CBI promises more action. For the time being, it demonstrates how widespread corruption has become in the oversight of medical schools.
