HC seeks CBI's reply on pleas against trial court order

The Delhi High Court today sought CBI's response on the pleas filed by three accused, who were put on trial along with ex-Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss in a corruption case, against the trial court's order framing charges against them.
A bench of Justice Suresh Kait issued notice to CBI on the petitions of Indore-based Index Medical College Hospital and Research Centre (IMCHRC) chairman S S Bhadoria and two staffs Nitin Gothwal and Pawan Bhambhani.
The bench posted the matter for hearing on February 3.
The trial court had on October 7 framed charges against them saying prima facie various offences including of criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery under IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act relating to public servant abusing official position were made out against Ramadoss and several others.

The court had said that the PMK leader had "criminally conspired" with other accused and abused his authority.
Ramadoss was Union Health Minister from May 2004 till April 2009 in the UPA-I government and charges were framed against him in two different corruption cases including one related to alleged favours shown by him to IMCHRC.

The other corruption case relates to alleged favours shown by Ramadoss and other accused to another private medical college, Rohilkhand Medical College and Hospital (RMCH), Bareilly, in Uttar Pradesh.
In the case of IMCHRC, besides Ramadoss, Bhadoria, Gothwal and Bhambhani, the court had also framed charges against the then Deputy Secretary in the Health and Family Welfare Ministry K V S Rao.

CBI had chargesheeted Ramadoss and nine others in the case for allegedly allowing the college to proceed with admissions without sufficient faculty and clinical material.
CBI had alleged that Ramadoss "illegally" permitted IMCHRC to take admission for second year despite the fact that Medical Council of India and a committee, appointed by the Supreme Court, recommended against it.
All the accused, who have denied the allegations levelled against them, are now out on bail in the two cases.