Nationwide Medical College Scam: ED Raids 15 Locations Across 10 States in Major Bribery Investigation

What initially appeared as a simple bribe-for-report incident rapidly evolved into a nationwide conspiracy. (Representational)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on Thursday at over 15 locations spanning 10 states, targeting what investigators describe as one of India's most extensive medical college bribery and accreditation scandals. Investigation teams were deployed across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, responding to a CBI First Information Report (FIR) that has already exposed an extensive nationwide network involving inspectors, brokers, college promoters, physicians, and even a self-proclaimed godman.

ED officials from Delhi arrived in Raipur at daybreak and promptly began interrogating Atul Kumar Tiwari, Director of Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Medical College (SRIMSR), at his residence. Concurrently, searches were conducted within the medical college premises, where investigators examined financial transactions suspected to be connected to bribes paid for favorable inspection reports. Tiwari, previously arrested by the CBI and currently released on bail, is believed to be a critical figure in the operation.

The agency also searched Index Medical College in Indore, securing the accounts department and collecting digital evidence. Sources indicate that the Indore investigation revealed extensive irregularities, including ghost faculty, falsified attendance records, and fraudulent experience certificates designed to deceive inspectors.

According to the CBI, the scandal was initially discovered when members of the National Medical Commission (NMC) inspection team accepted a Rs 55 lakh hawala bribe to prepare a favorable report for SRIMSR in Raipur. The doctors were apprehended with Rs 38.38 lakh recovered from an assistant of the inspection head and an additional Rs 16.62 lakh from an official's home.

What seemed to be an isolated corruption case quickly expanded into a pan-India conspiracy, connecting influential individuals from Rajasthan to Visakhapatnam and from Gurugram to Indore.

Investigators discovered that confidential inspection files meant to remain strictly classified were being photographed inside NMC offices in Delhi and distributed via WhatsApp to college representatives. This allowed institutions to address deficiencies, fabricate documentation, or arrange temporary patients and faculty before inspections.

Among those allegedly receiving these confidential files were Virendra Kumar of Gurgaon, Manisha Joshi of Dwarka, and the Registrar of Geetanjali University in Udaipur, Mayur Raval.

One of the most prominent names to emerge is Rawatpura Sarkar, also known as Ravishankar Maharaj, a controversial spiritual leader long suspected of wielding political influence. His trust, investigators claim, allegedly collaborated with medical college promoters to secure NMC accreditation in exchange for substantial sums channeled through hawala networks.

Rawatpura Sarkar's inclusion in the FIR has ignited political controversy. The spiritual leader has been photographed frequently with ministers and senior IAS and IPS officers.

The second major component of the scam flourished within Index Medical College in Indore, managed by Suresh Bhadoria. Officials allegedly employed phantom faculty, manipulated biometric records, and recruited fake patients to pass inspections.

Both Bhadoria and Rawatpura Sarkar originate from Lahar in Bhind, a connection that investigators now believe facilitated the formation of a powerful, informal network capable of influencing medical recognition throughout the country. Colleges reportedly paid between Rs 3-5 crore each to secure approvals regardless of their infrastructure or teaching standards.

Investigators now suspect that over 40 medical colleges may have obtained approval or increased MBBS/PG seats through bribery, falsified records, and compromised inspections. Many of these institutions are currently under ED scrutiny following today's raids.

Five months ago, the CBI had conducted raids at 40 locations nationwide, seizing documents that suggested a massive, coordinated operation. Today's ED action is described as the most significant financial follow-up in the case thus far.

Sources confirm that additional raids, arrests, and high-profile interrogations are anticipated in the coming days as the ED begins to unravel the financial infrastructure of this nationwide corruption network.