July 5, 2025

In a developing investigation into corruption implicating National Medical Commission (NMC) officials, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a case against Fr Joseph Kommareddy, trustee of the Father Colombo Institute of Medical Sciences in Warangal. The inquiry involves allegations that Fr Kommareddy paid significant bribes through intermediaries to secure favorable inspection reports and regulatory approvals. A total of six individuals have already been arrested in connection with the case, and further summonses are expected for questioning other involved parties such as trustees of the Warangal institute, the diocesan administrator, the former chairman of the trust, NMC officials, and directors of Gayatri College. The investigation, spanning a nationwide network, has unveiled that key individuals from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, such as Dr. B Hari Prasad, Dr. Ankam Rambabu, and Dr. Krishna Kishore, played pivotal roles in facilitating inspections and regulatory processes for various colleges. These individuals are accused of setting up dummy faculty members during inspections and obtaining renewal letters from the NMC in exchange for bribes. Dr. Kishore allegedly received a sum of Rs 50 lakh from Venkat of Gayatri Medical College to resolve an outstanding NMC issue, with a portion of the funds reportedly transferred to Delhi through illicit channels, while Fr Kommareddy made transfers totaling Rs 66 lakh through formal banking channels. The CBI has also implicated Poonam Meena, a director in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, for allegedly instructing her staff officer to gather advance information on NMC inspection schedules and expenses. The case involves multiple charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, including criminal conspiracy and bribery, and is intertwined with a previous case in Chhattisgarh involving bribes for favorable inspection reports.

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Tags: Cbi, Bribery, Scam, Corruption, Nmc, Investigation,