But for the intervention at the highest-level in the government the Czar of medical profession Ketan Desai could not have been touched.
But for the intervention at the highest-level in the government the Czar of medical profession Ketan Desai could not have been touched.
The disgraced medical council chief, Ketan Desai had been put under surveillance three months back after the Prime Ministers Office’s forwarded serious complaints of corruption against him to CBI. Desai was sent to judicial custody after remaining for more than a week in the CBI custody.
Probe officers told DNA directions were issued to the CBI in view of mounting complaints against Desai. It is learnt that PMO had been receiving regular complaints from certain political and institutional quarters alleging that Desai had been misusing MCI president’s post not only in the grant of permission for opening of new colleges but demanding money for medical seats.
“Desai’s phone had been put on observation for the past couple of months after obtaining due permission from designated authorities and Desai’s conversations run into hundreds of pages. Desai talked to all high and mighty in the profession, threw rules to the winds, threatened those showing resistance. During the course of surveillance we gathered crucial evidence against him and other accused in the case,” said a senior CBI official on the condition of anonymity.
However, some of the allegations formed part of the progress report that the CBI submitted to the designated court, these sources say. On 22 April, CBI laid a trap and arrested Desai and his associates for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs2 crore for granting recognition to a medical college. Subsequent probe unearthed houses, benami properties, investment papers and cash and jewellery, worth crores, allegedly accumulated by Desai.
Properties belonging to Desai and his family members have been found in states like Gujarat and Maharashtra.
His actual worth is still under estimation. In fact the Enforcement Directorate has now stepped into the case after the CBI reportedly found credible evidence of major investments made by Desai and his associates in foreign countries. Probe officials at CBI said details of number of foreign bank accounts and benami properties have emerged during scrutiny of documents seized from the residence and other properties of Desai.
The ED is learnt to have registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. “We are waiting for the relevant documents from the CBI,” said a senior ED official. The official added that the directorate’s probe will focus on his foreign trips, in capacity as functionary of the MCI and also his personal visits.
Meanwhile, Desai and three other accused in the scam were produced in a court on Saturday, where they were remanded to 13 days in judicial custody. Additional Sessions Judge OP Saini sent the accused to judicial custody after CBI stated that custodial interrogation was no longer required by the probe agency.
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