VIJAYAWADA: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against three individuals, including a director of a private medical college in Andhra Pradesh, in connection with the nationwide National Medical Commission (NMC) scam, which has implicated over 35 officials across various ranks.
The accused have been identified as Dr B Hari Prasad of Kadiri, Dr Krishna Kishore of Visakhapatnam, and Venkat, Director of Gayatri Medical College, Visakhapatnam. The CBI launched the investigation following credible information that several officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the NMC had colluded with intermediaries and private medical college representatives to manipulate regulatory processes in exchange for bribes.
Preliminary findings suggest the accused unlawfully accessed and disseminated confidential files related to medical college inspections and regulatory status. They also allegedly leaked NMC inspection schedules and assessor identities in advance, allowing institutions to prepare fraudulent setups to pass inspections. These included the use of “ghost faculty,” fake patients, tampered biometric records, and bribed assessors to secure favourable reports.
The investigation further revealed that Dr Virendra Kumar, another accused, coordinated operations in southern India through Dr Hari Prasad, Dr Krishna Kishore, and Dr Ankam Rambabu of Hyderabad. Posing as a consultant, Virendra Kumar arranged dummy faculty for inspections and facilitated Letters of Renewal and other NMC approvals in return for bribes.
The CBI found that Venkat, Director of Gayatri Medical College, paid Rs 25 lakh to ensure a favourable decision on a pending matter with the NMC. A portion of this bribe was reportedly routed to Dr Virendra Kumar in Delhi through hawala transactions. Sources said Dr Hari Prasad and Dr Ankam Rambabu jointly oversaw regulatory matters for Father Colombo Institute of Medical Sciences in Warangal. Raids held across multiple locations.