The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to grant bail to the dismissed Medical Council of India president, Ketan Desai, in a bribery-cum-disproportionate assets case. Justice S. L. Bhayana dismissed the application, admitting a submission by the CBI that it had received 225 complaints against Dr. Desai from various places in the country that had to be probed.
The counsel for the CBI further said if Dr. Desai was enlarged on bail, there was a strong possibility that he would influence witnesses and tamper with evidence.
However, the Court granted bail to one co-accused Jitendra Pal Singh, on furnishing of a personal bond of Rs.1 lakh, with one surety of the same amount.
A Delhi court had on May 3 dismissed his bail application saying that the probe into the allegations against him was at the initial stage.
In his bail application, Dr. Desai submitted that the alleged bribe money of Rs.2 crore was not recovered from him.
So far as granting recognition to medical colleges was concerned, decisions were by taken by a three-member committee, of which two happened to be independent medical professionals, the petition said.
Dr. Desai and three others were arrested by the CBI on April 23 for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.2 crore from the owners of a medical college in Patiala for permitting them to admit students despite lack of infrastructure. Later, searches at the premises owned by Dr. Desai led to recovery of huge amounts of cash, investment papers and gold worth several crores of rupees.
