Kiran Bedi seeks CBI probe into alleged medical seats scam in Puducherry

Puducherry: Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi said her office has sought a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into alleged corruption in admission of students to postgraduate courses by private medical colleges in the Union Territory.

“Puducherry is currently reeling under a huge medical seats allotment scam. Independent and immediate investigation alone will help arrive at the truth,” Ms Bedi said. “Apparently, it is a case of colossal collective failure of political, administrative and management. Parents and deserving students are the victims. They need justice,” she said.

In a WhatsApp message, Ms Bedi said there were several queries from different quarters to her on the “acts of omission and commission” in admission of students by private medical colleges in Puducherry.

She said her office had formally responded to the queries and requested the CBI to “immediately take up the whole case of alleged fraud, cheating and breach of trust and also possible large-scale corruption which may have happened in the admission of students to PG courses by private medical colleges in Puducherry and also in the conduct of the Centralised Admission Committee.”

She said the CBI has been requested “to investigate the acts of omission and commission urgently and to step in at the earliest to save evidence from being either diluted or destroyed.”

Ms Bedi said, “Some vital papers so far have already been forwarded to the CBI and more will follow.”

She said the Madras High Court in an interim order recently directed private medical colleges to admit students on seats belonging to government quota. “But it appears that they have already sold those seats away even before the closure of counselling. Hence, colleges are in serious contempt,” Ms Bedi said.

Ms Bedi took the Lieutenant Governor’s office last year. She has said that being the administrator of the Union Territory, she has powers over administrative matters.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy had on June 16 in the assembly taken strong exception to Ms Bedi making field visits, calling meetings of officials at the Raj Nivas, holding meetings through video conferencing and sending communication through social media.

The assembly had passed a resolution seeking grant of full administrative powers to the state government.