Private College scam: CBI searches DCI members, colleges

Suspecting a bigger scam in granting of approval by Dental Council of India to private colleges, CBI today expanded its probe searching premises of three members of the Council's Executive committee and six private dental colleges.

CBI sources said premises of executive committee members Dr Jayakar Shetty in Bangalore, Sateesh Kumar Reddy in Hyderabad and Bharat Shetty in Mangalore were searched on the basis of inputs given by two DCI members. The two members were arrested by the agency in connection with alleged graft for giving approvals to private dental colleges.

The sources said six private dental colleges were also searched in connection with the case of alleged bribe received by some DCI members in granting approvals to private colleges to run various courses despite loopholes in required infrastructure.

The sources said the searches were spread across various locations at Chennai, Namakkal, Jabalpur, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Mangalore.

The lid went off the scam after a member of DCI Dr S Murukesan was caught redhanded by the agency while allegedly receiving bribes from officials of a private dental college for arranging clearances from the council for allowing post-graduate courses, the sources said.

During questioning, Murukesan allegedly spilled the beans resulting in the arrest of another DCI member Dr Gunaseelan Rajan, who was arrested by the agency 10 days later on January 18 from Chennai, they said.

The interrogation by sleuths led to more information about suspects in the case and colleges which benefitted from the alleged racket, they said.

The sources said more arrests are likely in the case.

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