CBI raids Pondicherry government Centac offices

Puducherry: A team of CBI officials raided the office of the Centralized Admission Committee (CENTAC) of Puducherry government on Tuesday following widespread complaints of corruption in admission of students to post graduate medical courses in private colleges and deemed universities.

The 8-member team from Chennai reached the committee office around 11 am and undertook detailed search until 7.30 pm and reportedly recovered several documents.

Lt Governor Kiran Bedi also sought a probe into the alleged irregularities in the admission process.

Ms Bedi, alleging a medical seats allotment scam in the admission of students to post-graduate courses by private medical colleges in the Union Territory, asked CBI probe into the matter.

The involvement of Ms Bedi in the admission issue had recently escalated the ongoing tussle between the elected government and the Lt Governor where the Chief Minister dared Ms Bedi to prove her allegations against the admission process. Continuing her allegations against Centac, Ms Bedi said she had even requested the Central vigilance to enquire into administrative lapses committed by officials in the admission process.

“They have taken up criminal investigations as  requested by LG office to CBI to investigate complaints of fraud, deceit, cheating and breach of trust committed by commercial medical colleges in Puducherry on their own and or in connivance with public officials of CENTAC and any others involved directly or indirectly.

Central Vigiliance also has been requested to inquire into the administrative lapses committed by officers responsible for the proper and fair conduct of PG Counselling and allocation of medical seats,” Ms Bedi said in a Whatsapp message.

"Deserving students have suffered enormously already. Investigations and inquiries now will establish the culpability each of them," she said.

The Lt Governor also said that Public Interest Litigation- writ petition too is likely to be heard on the court of Chief Justice Court on Wednesday on the same matter of contempt committed by Colleges and Centac of violating Court directions of ensuring and admitting students on seats which belonged to students of Pudu-cherry.  CBI officials are likely to conduct a raid in deemed universities and private medical colleges in Puducherry on Wednesday, sources said.