CBI names Health Varsity VC prime accused in entrance test malpractice

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named the Vice Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences P S Prabhakaran as the prime accused in the malpractices reported during the Post Graduate Entrance Test conducted by the University during 2006.

The First Information Report (FIR) filed by the CBI in the designated City and Civil Sessions court in Bangalore has named a total of 30 persons as the accused in the leakage of question papers of the entrance test, spoon feeding of key answers and manipulating of ranks allotted to students.

While Prabhakaran has been named as the first accused, the University’s former Registrar V I Hukkeri has been named as the second accused. The list of accused included six officials from the University. The remaining accused are students, who had secured high ranks in the post-graduate entrance examination.

The 100-page FIR filed by the CBI has charged the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for cheating, hatching a conspiracy, besides indulging in corruption.

However, Karnataka’s Medical Education Minister V S Acharya said the Government could not take action unless the CBI files a charge-sheet against the accused. “We cannot take action unless a charge-sheet is filed against the accused”. When asked by reporters whether the Government will ask Prabhakaran to resign from the post in the wake of the development, Acharya said, “He has been claiming that he is innocent. How can we take action until he is proven guilty?”

Prabhakaran said he had received no communication from the CBI on the FIR. “My conscience is clear. I am not involved, so why quit? “I have not received any orders from anyone on the probe. But, even if I do, I am confident that I will come out clean”, he told reporters.