The Kerala High Court on Friday criticised the Crime Branch (CB) for not taking action against the accused officials of the Dr. Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College, Karakonam, in a case relating to cheating of certain students by collecting huge amounts by offering them admission in the college.
Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan observed that "big sharks are swimming without any hindrance and the investigating officer is behind the employees of the college.” The court said the report submitted by the police clearly revealed that no investigation was conducted against the director and others of the college.
The court made the observation during the hearing on a bail petition of Shiji P.L. and Sanu J.S., staff of the college.
The prosecution case was that the accused had collected huge amounts from the parents of students by promising them admission to MBBS seats in the college but later cheated them. The prosecution informed the court that Sanu was not made an accused in the case. Shiji, an accountant of the college, is the third accused in the case. College director Bennett Abraham and Church of South India Moderator Bishop A. Dharmaraj Rasalam, the chairman of the college, are the other two accused.
The court observed that the admission supervisory committee had found that there were evidence in accepting capitation fee from students. The Crime Branch probe was later ordered by the High Court. Even now, the investigation officer had not raised his little finger against the chairman and the director of the college.
The court directed the Crime Branch to file a report about the action taken so far against the three accused and also about the progress of the investigation.
The court, while grating bail to Shiji, dismissed the bail petition of Sanu.
The High Court had in February ordered a Crime Branch probe into the complaints that the management of the medical college had cheated several people and collected huge sums. The directions in February had come on a batch of petitions from the parents of some students alleging that the management cheated them and collected huge sums by offering admission at the medical college. However, the college authorities failed to give admissions to the students as promised and did not give the money back.