Kerala BJP Leader Took Rs 5.60 Cr Bribe From Private Medical College Promising MCI Tag, Finds Party’s Internal Probe

The state BJP ordered an internal probe on the matter after chairman of the private medical college complained about it to the party leadership.

Outlook Web Bureau

Updated on: 20 July 2017 12:44 pm

A Kerala BJP leader has confessed to have taken Rs. 5.60 crore from a private medical college promising them to get Medical Council of India’s recognition, an internal probe by the party said.

The report has come on the same day the Supreme Court approved a five-member panel of eminent doctors to oversee the MCI’s affairs and to issue directions for improvement in its functioning.

Asianet New reported that a two-member probe committee appointed by Kerala BJP chief Kummanam Rajasekharan found that party leader, R S Vinod, state convener of BJP’s cooperative cell, has confessed that he had taken Rs 5.60 crore from R Shaji, chairman of S R Educational and Charitable Trust, Varkala.

The report has come as a major blow to the BJP in Kerala as the saffron party, which has only one member in the state assembly, has been on a vigorous campaign for its expansion here.

The state BJP ordered an internal probe on the matter after Shaji complained about it to the party leadership in mid-May.

The Indian Express reported that Shaji claimed he was told by Vinod that a middleman in Delhi could influence MCI and that he had been instrumental in ensuring MCI recognition for several medical colleges. Shaji alleged that one Rakesh Sivaraman, posing as private secretary to the BJP state president, had introduced the middleman to him through Vinod. Shaji told the committee that Vinod had demanded Rs 17 crore for securing MCI’s recognition. Shaji said that when the MCI officials came to inspect his college, he realized that the money he had paid had failed to reach MCI authorities, the report says.

The probe committee recorded statements from six persons allegedly involved in the case including the middleman. According to the report, BJP state general secretary M T Ramesh’s name has also figured in the report.

The committee observed that the “corruption charges were very serious in nature” and cannot be allowed under the party regime at the Centre. It has also recommended action against Vinod, which is expected to be discussed at the next state committee meeting.