The crime investigation department (CID) of the state government has arrested nine culprits involved in the post graduate medical entrance test (PGMET) paper leak scam here in Hyderabad. Arrested among them are two consultants and seven MBBS doctors.

Ever since suspicion arose in the conduct of post graduate medical exam test conducted by NTR health University, the CID has had investigated into the issue and had found huge nexus of students, consultancies and doctors in the paper leakage scam.

According to T Krishna Prasad, CID, additional DG, a private consultancy named Vertex Consultants at Banjara Hills had played a key role in leaking the PGMET exam paper. “We have identified K Munnishwar Reddy of Vertex Consultants and a broker D Sainath of Karimnagar who sold each PGMET paper to the candidates for Rs.75 lakh to Rs.1.5 crore depending upon the subject,” said Prasad at a press briefing.

So far, investigators have identified 25 rankers among the 100 who had purchased the papers and bagged top ranks.

“The nexus between greedy brokers, consultants and the private medical college managements which are selling the PG seats for whooping sums, has been fuelling this unethical scam,” said the DG.

Due to heavy demand for medical PG, private medical colleges are collecting Rs.1 crore to Rs.1.5 crore for each seat through the brokers. In the process, the consultants and brokers are also making a lot of money. Taking advantage of this, certain consultants and their brokers formed a syndicate and leaked the PG medical entrance paper by collecting money.

As an initial agreement, the scamsters collected Rs.10 lakh each through online transfers from some of the candidates. The candidates also deposited their original SSC, intermediate and MBBS degrees with the brokers as guarantee that they would pay the remaining amount after the exam. Some of the candidates even gave blank cheques to the scamsters.

According to sources, it is revealed that before the actual exams in February 2014, the ‘contracted’ candidates were given mock tests at secret locations. For the radiology paper, they demanded Rs.1.5 crore and for paediatrics Rs.70 lakh. “So far out of 100, we have identified 25 top rankers who had written the exam in March 2014. We will be arresting few other brokers who have been identified. Investigation is still on,” said Prasad.