Kochi, Feb 24 The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Kochi Zonal Office on Monday has informed that they have successfully restituted properties amounting to Rs 89.75 lakh to six people who had paid to the accused persons on the pretext of gaining admission in MBBS course is Dr SM CSI Medical College.
The Medical College located in the capital city outskirts is one of the first private medical colleges in the state after the A.K. Antony government ( 2001-04) opened up the professional education sector in Kerala.
The ED said they initiated the investigation on the basis of several FIRs registered against Dr Bennet Abraham and others and corresponding charge sheets filed thereto by the Crime Branch, Kerala before the Judicial Chief Magistrate Court-III, here.
Incidentally, Abraham was handpicked by the CPI- the second biggest ally in the ruling Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government and was fielded as their candidate in the 2014 Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency and finished third.
At that time there was a furore after allegations surfaced that Abraham got the seat after he paid a huge sum to a section of the CPI leadership.
Abraham is a key official of the Medical College which is run by the local CSI Church since its inception.
The ED investigation revealed that the accused persons (Abraham and a few others attached to the Church) had collected money from parents and students under the pretext of giving admissions in MBBS/ PG courses to the medical college.
When the news surfaced, the Kerala High Court directed the Admission Supervisory Committee for Medical Education in Kerala to conduct an inquiry into the allegations against Abraham and others.
As part of the probe under PMLA, searches were conducted at several premises which resulted in the seizure of electronic items and records of an incriminating nature were found and seized.
“Thereafter, Provisional Attachment Order dated 22.11.2022 was issued for attachment of Rs 95.25 Lakh identified as Proceeds of Crime (POC) and subsequently Prosecution Complaint was filed before the Special Court (PMLA). Further, the victims in this case filed petitions before the Court for restitution of the properties u/s 8(8) of PMLA and the Special Court vide its order dated 10.02.2025 allowed the petition,” ED said.
“We are taking proactive steps to restitute the balance proceeds of crime to the other victims of the case upon their application before ED and the Special Court,” stated the ED.
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