In a major move to unearth corrupt practices in the medical education system in the country, the investigation teams from Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Medical Council of India (MCI) carried out surprise raids on two private medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh with regard to grant of illegal approvals for these colleges by the earlier MCI chairman Dr Ketan Desai.

The CBI and MCI teams carried out raid on Kasturi Medical College and NRI Medical College in Guntoor district in the state.

As per the official sources, the surprise raids began on 23rd January 2012 and will continue till the month-end. It is expected the CBI and MCI teams will conduct raids on all the colleges which are under their scanner. Sources said that CBI has gathered some concrete information against some private medical colleges during its investigations since April 2010.

Further, it is known from the sources that the inspecting teams have focused their concentration on Mamata Medical college in Khammam, SVS Medical College in Mahabubnagar, Bhaskar Medical College in Yenkapally, MNR Medical college in Sanga Reddy and Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences in Karimnagar etc. They are also likely to raid other suspecting private medical colleges once they get some leads from these colleges.

As the MCI approval is mandatory for all Indian medical colleges, both in private as well as public sectors, to admit students, the MCI officials and colleges administrations are alleged to resort to irregularities to get the MCI approval for admitting the MBBS students, irrespective of adequate facilities available in those colleges.

Earlier the CBI had arrested Dr Ketan Desai, ex president MCI, and 3 others on 23rd April 2010 on charges of accepting a bribe of Rs.2 crore. Subsequent searches at Ketan Desai's premises led to the seizure of Rs.1800 crores in cash and 1.5 ton gold. This sent shockwaves throughout the country and revealed the extent of corruption prevailing in the medical education system in the country.

Sources said that the CBI teams have been investigating whether the managements have resorted to irregularities like bribing MCI officials to obtain approval for MBBS and PG seats.

It is learnt that investigating teams are having 5 members from the CBI and two members from MCI.

There are also complaints that the managements have started advance booking for sale of MBBS and PG medical seats in the state for the coming academic year 2012-13. While according to the rules the intake of admissions should start only after the government issues the notification.