The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday transferred 40 cases related to the nursing scam in the state from its Gwalior bench to principal bench in Jabalpur. The bench of Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice Vishal Mishra also dismissed a petition filed by the nursing council challenging the cancellation of registration of 19 nursing colleges in the state. These colleges faced the action due to fraudulent claims regarding the number of faculty members. Most of these colleges - 6 - are in Gwalior.
The court is hearing a case related to fake recognition and affiliations given to nursing colleges by the nursing council. The petitioners, including Madhya Pradesh Law Student Association chief Vishal Baghel, have claimed these affiliations were given under political pressure and these colleges existed only on paper or operating from a single room rented accommodation.
Action has been sought against Stella Peter, who as Inspector had recommended in 2020 that 46 colleges can be given recognition. In 2021, during an audit, 70 fake colleges were identified and 16 of them were opened on the recommendation of Ms Peter.
She was a member of the executive committee of the nursing council in 2020. On the council's recommendation, 660 colleges were given recognition, but more than 200 of them have either been closed or their recommendation taken away.
The petitioners further told the court that Ms Peter was later given promotion and made the registrar of the nursing council.
The director of medical education was also present during the hearing and informed the court that former registrar Sunita Shiju was transferred from Bhopal to Indore.
The Jabalpur High Court will now determine the next course of action in this complex case. It will also decide whether the case should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The next hearing will take place after a week.