ED Raids Multiple Locations In Kashmir Over MBBS Seats Allotment Scam In Pakistan

Srinagar: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday raided multiple places including the houses of Hurriyat leader Qazi Yasir and Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement chairman Zaffar Bhat in a case linked to the allotment of MBBS seats in Pakistan. Sources told Zee News that the central probe agency along with local police today morning raided the house of Mohammad Akbar Bhat alias Zaffar Bhat, who is the chairman of J&K Salvation Movement, in the Bagh-e-Mehtab area of Srinagar and is presently in jail. They said another team of the central probe agency also raided the house of Hurriyat leader Qazi Yasir in the Qazi Mohalla area of Anantnag today morning.

“A team also is carrying out raids at the house of one Syed Khalid Geelani in Baghat area of Srinagar,” sources said and added the raids at those places were conducted to gather further details about the MBBS seats scam.

The officials said raids are being conducted in connection with the case of allotting MBBS seats and other professional admissions of J&K residents in different colleges in Pakistan.

The FIR against the accused was registered on July 27, 2020, for allegedly being hand-in-glove with some educational consultancies for arranging admission of J&K residents in MBBS and other professional courses in various colleges and e universities in Pakistan.

The investigating agencies found during the investigation that a huge amount of money was received from the parents of the students in lieu of such admissions and the money earned was allegedly used in supporting terrorism in J&K.

On August of 18th 2021 The Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) wing of the J&K Police arrested six persons including separatist leader Zafar Akbar Bhat and a woman from north Kashmir's Baramulla in a case registered in July last year in connection with the alleged racket of selling Pakistan-based MBBS seats and of other professional courses by Hurriyat leaders and using part of the money generated for militancy.

Police then said that more than 80 cases pertaining to the seats in academic years between 2014-18, were studied in which either the students or their parents were examined. Besides, searches of about a dozen premises in the valley had been undertaken to look for evidence of the collection of money and its further usage.

"Analysis of digital records and paper receipts as well as records pertaining to bank transactions revealed that a sizeable portion of the collected money was kept aside for personal use. Evidence also came on record to show that money had been variously put into channels that ended up supporting programmes and projects pertaining to terrorism and separatism.

Police also said that the time that investigation has revealed that on average the cost of a seat ranged between 10 to 12 lakhs. "In some cases, the price was brought down on the recommendation of those leaders."

"On the basis of the available evidence, a conservative estimate indicated that the money involved could be around Rs. 4 crores per annum, on the basis of the fact that allocation of seats for distribution by individual those leaders were around 40 seats for MBBS programme every year.