Kolkata: CID unearths Medical Admission Racket

Kolkata: Authorities have unearthened a medical admission racket in the city, whereby a 32 year old was “assisting” aspirants get admission in reputed medical colleges by helping them secure fake SC/ST certificates.

The CID had made an arrest of 32 year old, Sumantra Chaudhary two weeks ago from Jalpaiguri’s Malbazar area. The modus operandi of the admission racket is revealed to be fake SC/ST certificates that Chaudhary would provide to medical aspirants for a price anything between Rs 8 lakhs to Rs 30 lakhs. It is reported that using the same, some students in the past have even managed to get admissions in medical colleges and are now practicing physicians. According to CID, more than 220 students have been benefited with these fake certificates in the past 10 years, getting admissions in various medical colleges in Kolkata, Siliguri, Katihar and Bengaluru. Some were able to get admissions, while others lost their money.

The accused is reported to had built a strong nexus across the country for duping medical students. His nexus went further strong owing to the connections of his father, who is reported to be the Superintendent of a medical college in Bihar.

“Chaudhury recruited agents across the country who prepared a list of students who missed getting admission to medical colleges each year," an investigator told TOI. "He used to then publish advertisements claiming he could help get them seats. There were several cases where, though fake certificates were issued, the candidates did not get a medical seat. In those cases, Chaudhuri and his gang merely kept assuring them of a seat at other college, all the time milking more money out of them. At times, the accused ensured he made highest bids at certain medical colleges for their management quota seats. Amazingly, a few of the students who managed to gain entry in such colleges have now managed to secure their MBBS degrees."

This is not the first time that Chaudhary has been arrested. He was first arrested in 2013 for allegedly duping a medical student from Guwahati for Rs 17 lakhs. This time, he was caught after an Andamans based student filed his complaint with Siliguri commissionerate who then forwarded the case to CID.