India's Largest Medical Scam Uncovered by CBI, Ties to Godman Exposed

In what is shaping up to be one of India's biggest medical education frauds, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has uncovered a massive bribery and racketeering scam involving powerful bureaucrats, educationists, middlemen, and even a so-called godman.

The probe was initiated on the basis of one case of bribery in Sri Rawatpura Sarkar Institute, Raipur, where six people, including three doctors, were arrested for taking ₹55 lakh to prepare a fictitious inspection report. The probe then became a nationwide scandal with the findings of large-scale corruption in clearing substandard medical colleges.

The scam has been committed with false means like dummy teachers, false biometric attendance, false experience letters, and pirated confidential documents. The CBI believes the sanctions to poorly equipped medical colleges were awarded in return for massive bribes routed through hawala and official bank branches in some of these states, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh.

Among those under investigation are DP Singh, former UGC Chairman and current TISS Chancellor; Rawatpura Sarkar, self-styled godman known to all. Suresh Singh Bhadoria, who had his link with Indore's Index Medical College, Sanjay Shukla, a former IFS officer, and a past full-time member of the Medical Assessment and Rating Board. The CBI FIR has named 35 persons, though till now only one person, namely Atul Tiwari, Director of Rawatpura Group, has been arrested.

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The probe found entrenched manipulation in the process of regulating medical education, undermining student safety and health quality. The scandal has tainted India's process of medical accreditation, and demands for reform in countrywide inspection and approval processes have been made.