New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted coordinated searches across ten states on Thursday, November 27, 2025, as part of a money laundering investigation linked to alleged bribery and manipulation within the regulatory framework governing medical colleges in India. The searches targeted individuals and institutions allegedly involved in a network of corruption that compromised the integrity of medical college inspections and approvals.
The ED's action is rooted in a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 30, 2025. The CBI's FIR alleges that bribes were paid to government officials, including those within the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Union Health Ministry, in exchange for confidential information regarding medical college inspections. This information, it is alleged, allowed key managerial personnel at the medical colleges and associated middlemen to manipulate parameters and secure approvals for running academic courses.
The searches spanned at least 15 locations across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi, including seven medical college premises and residences of private individuals. The ED's operation was conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
According to ED officials, the alleged scheme involved officials colluding with intermediaries to disclose inspection schedules and the identities of designated assessors to medical institutions ahead of official communication. This allowed the colleges to prepare and manipulate the inspection process, ensuring favorable reports and approvals.
The CBI's initial investigation revealed a network involving officials from the Union Health Ministry and the NMC, intermediaries, and representatives of private medical colleges. The CBI FIR named 34 individuals, including eight health ministry officials, one from the National Health Authority, and five doctors who were part of the NMC inspection team. The CBI had previously arrested eight individuals in connection with the case, including three doctors from the NMC team who allegedly accepted a bribe of ₹55 lakh for providing a favorable report to a medical college in Chhattisgarh.
Specifically, the Deccan Chronicle reported that the ED collected bank statements from Dr. Hari Prasad and Ankam Rambabu of Hyderabad, who jointly managed the regulatory affairs of Father Colombo Institute of Medical Sciences, Warangal. Dr. Prasad was allegedly involved in arranging dummy faculty for inspections and facilitating regulatory approvals. Krishna Kishore, acting on Dr. Prasad's directions, allegedly collected ₹50 lakh from Venkat of Gayatri Medical College for favorable treatment. The Enforcement Directorate is continuing its investigation, focusing on tracing the money trail and identifying all individuals and entities involved in the alleged bribery and money laundering scheme.
