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‘Selling’ of MBBS seats: ED zeroes in on six students who got admission in Pakistan colleges
ED officials probing the selling of MBBS seats in Pakistan said that separatist leaders based in Kashmir used to give recommendation letters to students that ensured their admission “free of cost” or by paying nominal charges in the medical colleges across Pakistan.
As the investigation agencies are closely probing the selling of MBBS seats in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) by some separatist leaders and their close associates, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has already found six students who got admitted in colleges in Pakistan by paying money in Kashmir to the people who arranged these admissions.
Officials said that dozens of students got degrees from the medical colleges and other professional colleges in Pakistan in past one decade till the Centre banned the degrees obtained from Pakistan’s medical colleges and other institutions.
They said that many students had paid money to the men who were close to separatist leaders. “Even some officials in the government got their relatives admitted in the Pakistani colleges on the recommendation letters of senior separatist leaders,” they said.
Officials probing the case said that separatist leaders based in Kashmir used to give recommendation letters to students that ensured their admission “free of cost” or by paying nominal charges in the medical colleges across Pakistan.
In past one week twice Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Srinagar Zonal Office, carried out search operations under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, at 10 locations in Srinagar, Budgam, Kupwara and Anantnag districts of Jammu & Kashmir in respect of an investigation relating to the involvement of conspirators who were hand-in-glove with some educational consultancies manipulating or arranging admission of J&K students in various professional courses, including MBBS in Pakistan-based colleges, institutions and universities.
The Enforcement Directorate in a statement on Tuesday said that it initiated investigation on the basis of FIR registered under various sections of UA(P) Act and IPC, and chargesheet filed by CIK, Srinagar, J&K, against various accused persons namely Mohammad Akbar Bhat alias Zaffar Bhat, Fatima Shah, Altaf Ahmad Bhat, Qazi Yasir, Mohammad Abdullah Shah, Sabzar Ahmad Sheikh, Manzoor Ahmad Shah, Mohammad Iqbal Mir, Syed Khalid Geelani alias Khalid Andrabi, for their involvement in accumulating funds for terror activities on the pretext of admission of J&K students in various professional courses in Pakistan-based institutions.
“PMLA investigation has also revealed that many a times, these admissions are actually part of technical assistance programme (TAP) and are offered to foreign students either free or at nominal charges on annual basis. However, hefty charges were being levied on the students and the extra money so earned, was ploughed into supporting terrorism in myriad ways on the instructions of Pakistan-based handlers as well as those sitting in Jammu & Kashmir,” the ED statement said, adding that proceeds of crime to the tune of ₹1 crore approximately have been determined and six people have been identified who had been admitted to various institutions in Pakistan.
A senior police officer privy to details said that seats in professional colleges were given only on the recommendation of separatist leaders. “They (separatist leaders) all had quota there. And who went to Pakistan with recommendation letter got the free seat. And some separatist leaders even took money from them for these seats.”
