PMT scam: 130 more admissions cancelled

So far, the Board has cancelled admissions of 439 candidates from 2013 PMT, 328 candidates from 2012, 98 from 2011 and 90 from 2010 PMT

Admissions of over 130 more candidates to various medical colleges were cancelled for allegedly rigging pre-medical test (PMT) conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) in 2011 and 2012. Further probe in similar examinations conducted in earlier years has not been denied by authorities.

So far, the Board has cancelled admissions of 439 candidates from 2013 PMT, 328 candidates from 2012 PMT, 98 from 2011 PMT and 90 candidates from 2010 PMT. Also, many other recruitment of teachers, sub-inspectors and low rank posts in forest department have also faced similar actions.

"The Board has issued orders in this regard and criminal investigations is going on," a government source said.

These candidates arranged qualified candidates as resource persons, manipulated seating arrangements in collusion of MPPEB officials, used unfair means, cleared the PMT and got admission in various medical colleges.

Though top official of the Board and Special Task Force are tight-lipped over the scam, in which senior officials of the Board and few others have been arrested, sources have said further investigations is likely to spill the beans. "Further investigations may expel sitting doctors," sources said.

Sources said, "MPPEB's Exam Controller Dr Pankaj Trivedi and Chief System Analyst, Nitin Mahindra, who are already facing probe and legal actions, were alleged involved with the candidates in this racket."

An IPS officer R K Shivhare, is also an accused in the admission in Post-Graduate medical courses besides the police recruitment scam in Madhya Pradesh. He was recently sent to jail by a local court here after his police remand ended. Shivhare surrendered before the Special Task Force (STF) on April 21 and was sent to judicial custody.

Similarly, Dhanraj Yadav, former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav, a Bahujan Samajwadi Party leader Radha Raman Ahirwar misused their official positions and have already been arrested in connection with two other recruitment examinations conducted by the Board in the state.

Yadav was arrested in connection with the police examination recruitment exam of 2012, Ahirwar was booked for rigging teachers' recruitment examination conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board in 2011.

A Congress leader Sanjiv Saxena was arrested for his alleged involvement in milk federation recruitment, contractual teachers' appointment, sub-inspector recruitment, police constable recruitment frauds. He had recently been denied bail by High Court in this connection. Saxena had contested Vidhan Sabha elections from Bhopal South on Congress ticket in 2013.