The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Tuesday arrested nine candidates for obtaining D-Pharmacy licenses in a fraudulent manner in connivance with some privately managed pharmacy colleges in the state. In this regard the VB has already registered a criminal case under FIR No. 17 dated 8.12.2023 under sections 420, 465, 466, 468, 120-B of IPC at VB police station Ludhiana against former registrars and officials of Punjab State Pharmacy Council (PSPC) for committing irregularities in admissions, registration and issuing licences of D-Pharmacy to the students studying in private colleges. In this case accused Parveen Kumar Bharadwaj and Dr Tejvir Singh, both former Registrars of PSPC along with Superintendent Ashok Kumar have already been arrested.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said that during investigation of this case section 409, and 467 of IPC along with sections 7, 7-A, 8, 13(1) read with 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act have also been added. He further informed that the investigation uncovered fake certificates of 143 students between 2005 and 2022 revealing fraudulent practices in admissions and registration at the PSPC.
He further informed that on Tuesday 9 Pharmacists have been nominated and arrested in this case. They have found indulged in making bribe money to owners / principals of private pharmacy colleges for getting issued forged and fabricated 10+2 certificates and D-Pharmacy certificates from different institutions and fake registration certificates from PSPC in a fraudulent manner. Presently all the accused are running medical shops and playing with precious lives of public.
He added that the arrests accused include Umesh Kumar, a resident of town Bhadson, district Patiala, Mohammad Aslam, a resident of Malerkotla city, Abdul Sataar, resident of national Lasosoi, district Malerkotla, Mohammad Maneer, resident of village Binjokee Khurd, district Malerkotla, Gurdeep Singh, resident of Mandi Gobindgarh, Puneet Sharma, resident of Bahdargarh, district Patiala, Ravinder Kumar, resident of village Chappar, district Patiala, Ashok kumar, a resident Barnala city and Maninder Singh, a resident of Rahon Road, Ludhiana city.
The spokesperson further revealed that during investigation it has came to light that all the above accused had got issued their D-Paharmacy degrees from private colleges which included; Punjab Multipurpose Medical Institute Sehna, Barnala, Lord Krishna College of Pharmacy, Lehragaga, district Sangrur, Onkar College of Pharmacy Sajuma, Sunam, district Sangrur, Ma Sarswati College of Pharmacy Abohar, district Fazilka, GHG College of Pharmacy, Raikot, district Ludhiana and Lala Lajpat Rai College of Pharmacy Moga. He further informed that all the arrested accused would be produced in the competent court tomorrow.
The spokesperson further added that to fill the vacant seats in D-Pharmacy institutions, the owners of private colleges allegedly admitted students from other states in connivance with the said the above mentioned Registrars and officials of PSPC without obtaining mandatory migration certificates, accepting significant bribes from unsuspecting candidates. Moreover, several students obtained admission to the D-pharmacy course by possessing the requisite 10+2 educational qualifications in medical or non-medical streams privately whereas it has to be passed in regular classes and by attending science practicals.
Further investigation in this case was under progress to further scrutinize the roles of other officials, employees, and clerks of PSPC, along with individuals associated with private colleges, he added.