The Enforcement Directorate cracked down on three private medical colleges in Durgapur early morning today and coordinated raids to unearth fishy deals in ‘hefty selling’ of admission quotas to NRI candidates. The raids continued for more than 12 hours.

The raids were extended to the residences of the owners and top managerial officials of the three colleges here. The ED team, split in three groups, started raids at 6 am with Central Armed Police Forces in attendance as security cover. They cracked down at the IQ City Medical College at Shobhapur, Ramkrishna Institute of Medical Sciences at Molandighi in the upscale Durgapur town and at Gouridevi Medical College at Rajbandh near Panagarh.

The IQ City Medical College, currently having intake capacity for 200 MBBS students, was allowed admission quota for 23 non-resident Indian candidates and the official statement by the authorities claimed that it sold each seat to NRI incumbents.

The RK Institute of Medical Sciences, having 150 intake capacity, was allocated 23 seats for NRI candidates. The Gouridevi Medical College, since 2016, having 150 intake capacity, was allowed to accommodate 23 NRI candidates. These colleges, as was learnt, had been ‘selling’ quotas to resident Indian candidates with the help of forged documents, fake passports and visa papers and doctored work permit papers.

The raids were part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged manipulation of NRI quota admissions, which allegedly involved hefty financial transactions.

The NRI quota is a reserved section of seats in Indian medical colleges exclusively for the NRI candidates. The percentage of seats reserved under the NRI quota varies from state to state and may range up to 15 per cent. The incumbents, as per the Medical Council of India rules, should mandatorily provide evidence placing valid documents like employment certificate, visa and passport. Apart from 15 per cent national quota and 85 per cent state quota, universities offer admission to NRI candidates under the 15 per cent NRI quota in the NEET (National Eligibility Entrance Test) reserved by the MCI and both – the persons of Indian origin (POI) and overseas citizens of India are included in the NRI quota.

Sources said that the investigations are centred around the massive allegations of submission of fake certificates being submitted in exchange of money, facilitating unlawful admissions in MBBS courses in these 28 private medical colleges in the country, which has resulted in denial to genuine students who have cracked the NEET examinations successfully.

Raids were conducted in the house of former MP Lakshman Seth in Haldia also along with his dental and medical college today.