Bogus medical institute unearthed

PUNE: A medical institute which allegedly duped students with a promise of MBBS degree in two years has been unearthed at Talegaon near here, police said on Friday.

The Siddhanta Institute of Education which opened last year (2006-2007) admitted as many as 90 students for the course, charging a fee of Rs 3.5 lakh each.

After a two month long surveillance, district rural police raided the place when fresh admissions for 2007-2008 were in progress.

According to police, the fake institute did not have permission or license from Indian Medical Council and state government to run the medical course and there were no required educational facilities for the students.

A posh office at Pimpri where admission for MBBS were given, served as a front to fleece the gullible students, police said.

A case has been filed against seven persons including one Rajendra Singh from Uttar Pradesh who heads the Trust that runs the bogus institute.

Police have also seized incriminating documents from the premises and investigations were on.