The Madras High Court on Tuesday decided to hear officials of the Embassy of Iran as well as Union Ministry of External Affairs in a case related to the admission of about 15 Iranian nationals in dental courses in a private college without clearing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).
Justice P.N. Prakash suo motu impleaded the Union Ministry as a party to a petition filed by the management of Asan Dental College at Keerapakkam. The college had sought to quash a case registered against it by Tirukalukundram police on the basis of a complaint lodged by an Iranian student Nasser Hamidavi Zegheiri.
Stating that the officials from the Embassy had agreed to appear before the court within two days, the judge adjourned further hearing on the case to Thursday. In the meantime, a demand draft for ₹5.5 lakh was handed over to Mr. Zegheiri in the open court towards refund of the tuition fees paid by him.
Though the student’s counsel R.C. Paul Kanagaraj contended that his client had paid a capitation fee of ₹25 lakh and that should also be returned by the college management, Senior Counsel P.R. Raman, representing the latter, stoutly denied any such payment and wondered who would pay such huge amounts for a dental seat.
Referring to “a piece of paper” produced in the court to show that $40,000 had been paid to one Mohammed, the Senior Counsel said: “It is beyond one’s imagination to believe that someone would pay such a huge amount for a BDS seat.” He contended that the management had only obtained tuition fee and it was willing to return that fees.
