According to a news published in the Indian Express, alleging rampant corruption in government-run Dental Council of India (DCI), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named its president, Dr Dibyendu Mazumdar and former secretary Dr S K Ojha among others in an FIR registered on Monday. Mazumdar who was appointed during the UPA tenure, is facing charges of alleged irregularities, including receiving pecuniary benefits from private colleges in return for the increase in number of BDS/MDS seats.
In its FIR, the agency said Mazumdar would have caesed to be president of the DCI on May 31, 2015 “but in order to continue as president, he acquired the membership of DCI from Nilamber Pitamber University (NPU), Jharkhand in a clandestine manner, by claiming to be honorary visiting professor of Vananchal Dental College and Hospital (VDCH), Jharkhand,” the FIR stated.
It may be recalled that senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan has first written to Union health minister J P Nadda seeking a CBI inquiry against DCI members including Mazumdar. CBI also named Dinesh Prasad Singh, chairman of VDCH and Firoz Ahmad, the then VC of NPU. All of them have been booked under various sections of prevention of corruption act, section 420 (cheating) and 120 (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
When contacted, Mazumdar told The Indian Express, “CBI was conducting an enquiry into the matter but I have not received any communication from CBI so far but ready to face them.” CBI alleged that as president of DCI in order to obtain the membership first showed favours to VDCH and allowed them to increase their seats from 50 to 100, “knowing fully well that the college did not possess the required norms as stipulated by DCI,” said CBI.
The agency further alleged that on the basis of his membership, Mazumdar became president of DCI for the second time in an “irregular manner”. Investigations by the CBI also revealed that Mazumdar was never appointed honorary visiting faculty in VDCH neitherdental faculty in N P University. It is alleged that VDCH facilitated NPU in election for member, DCI by providing lists of their faculty including the name of Mazumdar and list of senate members.
CBI’s probe also revealed that Mazumdar connived with Dr S K Ojha, the then secretary of DCI for suppressing fact that he is not eligible for President DCI. Mazumdar, during his tenure as President not only recommended increased intake for VDCH’s BDS course but also increased 16 MDS seats under various categories to the Central Government i.e Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Dental Education Section) despite shortcomings noticed in the functioning of college during inspection by DCI inspectors in October 2012 and February 2013.
Courtesy Indian Express
