CBI registers DA case against Ketan Desai
The CBI today registered a disproportionate assets case against Ketan Desai, the former chief of the now dissolved Medical Council of India who has been arrested on corruption charges, and his family members.
The CBI on Thursday registered a disproportionate assets case against Ketan Desai, the former chief of the now dissolved Medical Council of India who has been arrested on corruption charges, and his family members.
The case was filed as part of CBI's probe into the alleged malpractices within the medical education regulator, which is now in the 76th year of its existence.
"The CBI has today registered a disproportionate assets case against Ketan Desai and his family. As of today, we have found assets to the tune of Rs 24 crore in his and his family's name," CBI Director Ashwani Kumar said.
Agency sources said Desai's wife and mother were also booked in the DA case.
Kumar said there has been "systemic" corruption in the MCI for the last one year.
He said the CBI has found "good" evidence in the case for which Desai was arrested and that an inspector of the MCI who had visited the Gyan Sagar Medical College, Patiala has been made a witness.
Desai, who was the president of the tainted MCI and two others -- Jitender Pal Singh and another associate Dr Kanwaljit Singh of Gyan Sagar Medical College in Punjab-- were arrested by CBI on corruption charges on April 24.
They were arrested for allegedly taking Rs two crore bribe to grant recognition to a medical college in Punjab, an offence described as grave by a court.
Kumar said the agency has so far received 154 complaints against MCI from the public through its website.
He said the agency was going into the merits of each case and will then decide on which complaints it has to register a case.
He said the link on the website through which the public can give complaints against MCI will remain open till May 31.
The agency searches at various premises of Desai allegedly yielded huge amount of cash, investments and gold-- all worth several crores of rupees.
After the corruption in the medical education regulator was unearthed by the CBI, the MCI was dissolved.
It was replaced by a six-member panel of eminent doctors, led by gastroenterologist S K Sarin. An ordinance dissolving MCI was signed by President Pratibha Patil and notified by the Law Ministry.
The panel will be in charge till the next one year.
The Government has said it would bring in a new law for the formation of an overarching body to regulate medical education in the country.