The Malleswaram police have arrested five individuals, including two government doctors, for allegedly defrauding medical students of lakhs of rupees by forging certificates under the differently-abled quota. The arrests follow a complaint lodged by Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) Chief Administrative Officer Islahuddin Gadyal.
The accused include school teacher Bharamappa, originally from Chitradurga, the administrative medical officer of Hospet Government Hospital in Vijayanagar, Dr. Hariprasad, a paediatrician, and assistants Sudhakar from Mangaluru Primary Health Centre, Kukanur taluk of Koppal, and Umesh Chowdary, a first-class assistant.
Police said Bharamappa, despite being a school teacher, promised candidates medical seats under the differently-abled category in exchange for Rs 5 lakh each. He allegedly coordinated with the other accused to forge certificates and UD ID cards for 21 candidates who claimed to be hearing impaired for the UG CET and UG NEET exams. The fraud appears to have been ongoing for several years.
KEA officials flagged the fake certificates, prompting police action. Investigators have also issued notices to all 21 candidates to ascertain whether they colluded with the accused in securing government quota seats. Decisions on possible arrests of the candidates will be made after interrogation. Police continue to probe the case to uncover the full extent of the racket, while highlighting the need for stricter verification measures for government quota admissions in medical colleges.
