M A I N   N E W S

JK MBBS scam: Jail for 6 students, parents
Ishfaq Tantry
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 18
A special anti-corruption court in Srinagar sent six MBBS students and six parents of “beneficiary” students to jail under judicial custody on Saturday.

The court directed the Crime Branch, investigating the scam into the sale of Common Entrance Test (CET)-2012 question papers for selection into medical colleges, to produce the others named in the chargesheet by January 28.

The Crime Branch had named 25 persons as accused in the chargesheet filed before special judge anti-corruption (Kashmir) Mohan Lal Manhas on January 12. The accused included Board of Professional Entrance Examinations former head Mushtaq Ahmad Peer, 12 students who got admission in the MBBS course by fraudulent means in 2012 and nine parents.

The Crime Branch today produced six MBBS students and six parents named in the chargesheet before the court. The judge sent the six MBBS students to the Central Jail Srinagar under judicial custody till January 20 when the Crime Branch is expected to file objections to their bail applications.

It also sent the six accused parents to judicial custody till January 23 and asked the Crime Branch to file objections to their bail applications as well. The court, however, posted the hearing in the main case on January 28, when the Crime Branch has been directed to produce the other accused not present today.

Of the 12 students named in the chargesheet, three are stated to be minors and would be presented before a juvenile court. 

‘Special treatment’ to main accused

* Main accused Mushtaq Peer, broker Sajjad Ahmad Bhat and a parent, Farooq Ahmad Shah -- already in judicial custody - were also produced before the court

*n While Sajjad and Farooq were produced in handcuffs, Peer was spared. All accused, including the parents and the students, were standing, but Peer was allowed to sit.