Mumbai: Censuring a student for obtaining admission to a medical college under the ‘non-creamy layer’ category, the Bombay High Court directed her to pay ₹10 lakh to the State government and serve as medical officer in a State-run hospital for five years.
A Division Bench comprising Justices V.M. Kanade and P.R. Bora was hearing a plea filed by Aishwarya Patil, who challenged the order passed by the District Collector, Pune cancelling her ‘non-creamy layer’ OBC certificate.
Ms. Patil secured admission to B.J. Medical college, Pune for the MBBS Course in 2012-13 under the OBC quota, as she belongs to the Kunbi caste. Her caste certificate was validated by the Caste Scrutiny Committee. Her father is a surgeon who runs a 16-bed healthcare facility called Chetna Hospital, and had showed his annual income to be less than ₹5 lakh to get the caste certificate for his daughter.
Gauri Gharat, an MBBS course aspirant trying for admission to a Government Medical College (GMC) under the OBC quota, had alleged that fake non-creamy layer certificates were being issued by authorities to candidates, and the petitioner seemed to be one of them. Upon inquiry, it was found that the approximate value of Ms. Patil’s father’s hospital is around ₹ 1 crore.
The court said, “We regretfully state that such a well-placed person made such an undesired attempt, which resulted in depriving one genuine and deserving candidate from getting the admission in GMC for MBBS.” The court held that Ms. Patil’s caste certificate stands cancelled, and directed her to pay ₹10 lakh to the State government within six months. It also directed her to file an undertaking to work as a medical officer in a government-run Primary Health Centre, and said the government can take steps to cancel her degree if she fails to do so.
