Court orders framing of charges against Anbumani Ramadoss in corruption cases

The two cases relate to alleged favours being shown by the former Union Health Minister and other accused to private medical colleges in U.P. and M.P.

Former Union Health Minister and PMK chief ministerial candidate Anbumani Ramadoss.

A special court for CBI cases on Wednesday ordered framing of charges against former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and others in two separate corruption cases.

The CBI charged the former Minister with illegally granting renewal of approval for admissions to the MBBS course in the Rohilkhand Medical College and Hospital in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, and allowing the Index Medical College Hospital and Research Centre in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, to proceed with admissions without sufficient faculty.

Dr. Anbumani told

The Hindu that he would face the cases and “come out clean.”

Special Judge A.K. Jain said Dr. Anbumani, K.V.S. Rao and K.K. Aggarwal were prima facie found to have committed offence.

Ordering framing of the charges, Special Judge A.K. Jain said: “Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, K.V.S. Rao and K.K. Aggarwal are prima facie found to have committed offence under Section 120-B IPC (criminal conspiracy) read with Section 13 (2) (d) and 13 (1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 420 (cheating)/468 (forgery)/471 (using forged documents as genuine) IPC.”

“Furthermore, accused Anbumani Ramadoss and K.V.S. Rao are also found to have prima facie committed substantive offences under Section 13 (2) read with Section 13 (1) (d) Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Accordingly, charges be framed against these accused persons,” the judge further said and put up the case on November 2 for framing of the charges.

The court passed a similar order in the second case as well. Charges in both cases will be framed on November 2. It discharged seven accused persons in the two cases.

The Supreme Court had last year transferred the case relating to the RMCH from Lucknow to a Delhi court on a plea by Mr. Ramadoss. The investigating agency registered the second case here.

The probe agency alleged the then Minister had illegally permitted IMCHRC to give admissions to the course in spite of a recommendation against it by the Medical Council of India.

Mr. Abumani Ramadoss said the court order would not be a setback to his Chief Ministerial aspirations.

“It is not a corruption case. The charge sheet also has not made any allegations that I have received money or met anyone for favour,” he told The Hindu.

“My name was not in the FIR and even the preliminary investigations did not include me. My name was included in the charge sheet because of political reasons,” he said, adding that he would file an appeal against dismissal of his discharge petition. He said the case had seen three judges in three and half years and the fourth judge had given his verdict. “I have faith in the courts. I will legally face the charges against me and come out clean.”