Court Denies Bail to Medical College Head Accused of Rs 65 Crore Admission Fraud
Accused Cited Health Issues and Trial Delays; Court Rules Delay Attributed to Defense's Own ActionsAccused Cited Health Issues and Trial Delays; Court Rules Delay Attributed to Defense's Own Actions
Mumbai: A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai has once again denied bail to Mahadev Deshmukh, the former working president of the Kolhapur-based Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Education Society (SCSES). Deshmukh is accused of defrauding 350 medical aspirants by collecting over Rs 65 crore under the pretext of granting MBBS admissions in a college operated by the trust.
This was Deshmukh’s second attempt at securing bail, citing prolonged detention, delays in trial commencement, and serious health concerns. He has been in custody for over two years. His defense argued that the lack of progress in the trial and his deteriorating health conditions—Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and other ailments—warranted his release.
However, the court attributed the trial delays to the accused, noting that Deshmukh had sought adjournments for approximately 20 months. “The accused cannot claim that his right to a speedy trial is violated while simultaneously delaying proceedings. The delay is of his own making, and he cannot take advantage of it,” stated Special Judge A.C. Daga.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged that Deshmukh and others collected the funds between 2011 and 2016 despite lacking necessary permissions from the Medical Council of India and the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences to conduct MBBS courses. The money, as per the charge sheet, was used for personal gain and property purchases.
In 2014, the Admissions Regulatory Authority had refused to renew permission for the college to admit MBBS students due to inadequate infrastructure. Despite this, Deshmukh continued to accept payments, promising future admissions for academic years 2015-16 and 2016-17.
To assess Deshmukh’s medical claims, the court had earlier constituted a board under the superintendent of JJ Hospital. The medical report concluded that no immediate or active interventions were necessary and recommended continuing existing medications and physiotherapy.
“The medical board’s findings clearly indicate that the accused is not currently in need of active treatment that cannot be managed in custody. This does not qualify him as sick or infirm to merit bail,” observed the court.
This case highlights the misuse of trust and regulations in education, leaving hundreds of students and families defrauded.
