Kerala BJP in soup as vigilance probe into Rs 5.6 crore medical scam begins

CPI-M leader Brinda Karat said that this is the tip of the iceberg of corruption involving BJP

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An official probe began on Friday into an alleged medical college scam involving BJP leaders in Kerala.

"I gave the orders for a probe based on a complaint that I got. The probe begins today," Kerala Police chief Loknath Behra told the media. Behra also heads the Vigilance Department.

The case pertains to a Rs 5.60 crore bribe allegedly paid by a privately managed medical college to Kerala-based BJP leaders for influencing the Medical Council of India (MCI). Since then, there has been another such allegation in northern Kerala.

CPI-M leader Brinda Karat told reporters in Kozhikode on Friday that this was just the tip of the iceberg of corruption involving the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"The national leaders of the BJP speak of 'Swachh Bharat' and now they should begin that from within their party," she said.

Kerala BJP chief Kummanem Rajasekheran, while denying any links of the party with the alleged scam, on Thursday night expelled the party's Cooperative Cell Convenor R.S. Vinod after his name surfaced in an internal committee report leaked to the media.

One of the leaders whose name figure in the report is Kerala General Secretary M.T. Ramesh, who has denied any involvement in the scam and said he was being targeted by vested interests.

Meanwhile, the BJP has cancelled Friday's core committee meeting. Instead, a state committee meeting has been called for Saturday.