Respond in black and white on DMAT: SC to Madhya Pradesh

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Madhya Pradesh government to file in "black and white" its response to the plea seeking a CBI probe into "irregularities" in the Dental and Medical Admission Test (DMAT) to fill management quota seats in the state's privately-run medical colleges.

"Whatever you want to say put it in black and while," the apex court bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu, Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Amitava Roy told Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who opposed the plea seeking a CBI probe.

Rohatgi contended that the state government has no role in the conduct of DMAT exam and the admissions made thereunder.

"We have already tentatively made up our mind. You tell us as to why these cases should not go to CBI," the court told Rohatgi as he tried to impress upon the court that entire DMAT was private with in footprints of the state or the involvement of any of its officials that could attract the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act for any act of wrong doing.

"You should be able to tell us if you are prepared to take over the cases," the court asked Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh appearing for the CBI.

Under DMAT, the seats are divided between the state government and the private medical college in the 42:58 percent ratio.

While 42 percent seats falling under the state quota are filled up by the students who have succeed in the Vyapam exam conducted by the state government, the 58 percent seats - 43 percent and 15 percent NRI quota - are filled by the managements of private medical colleges.

Of the 21 medical colleges - 15 dental and six medical - DMAT exam is conducted for about 2,800 seats.

"It (DMAT) is done by the association of private medical colleges. The state government has nothing to do with it. Since there is no (involvement) of public servant, then it can't be PC Act," Rohatgi told the court, saying "Exam (DMAT) is different. People conducting it are different. It (DMAT) is not a public body."

Giving Rohatgi two weeks' time to respond, the court said: "Whatever you want to say put it in black and white."

The Central Bureau of Investigation in its response to the notice by the apex court has already said DMAT scam was bigger than the Vyapam - admission and recruitment - scam as it expressed its inability to undertake its investigation.

"The DMAT scam as highlighted by the petitioners, purportedly started from 2009 and ever year thousands of students have been admitted in private dental and medical colleges against the management quota. Hence in its scope and depth, the DMAT scam appears to be many times more than the Vyapam scam," the investigating agency said in its affidavit filed in the apex court two days ago in response to notice issued to it earlier.