The marks-scam of the Pondicheery University is in the news. The reaction of Justice R.Reghupathy gives an assurance that there is still someone in this country, particularly in Tamilnadu who has a conscience. While everyone knows everything and prefers to keep their eyes closed, Justice Reghupathy chose to show his disapproval. If only he comes to know the condition in toto, he would surely take Judicial Sanyaas!
Some simple questions are enough to drive him to take Sanyas because he can not do anything about this. Even God can not do anything.
Unless a deluge comes and eats up all these people and a New-order is brought in after that, no one can save the medical education in Tamilnadu.
People are still gloating on the medical tourism that Chennai is attracting. But the doctors in those areas are oldies – from the generation prior to Reservation and Privatization of Medical education in Tamilnadu. The condition is different with the new crop of practitioners. There are numerous cases of wrong diagnosis / treatment by the present crop which goes un reported.
Michael Jackson's death caught our attention on the news of Autopsy done by a Tamil doctor who had his medical degree from Stanley. It is not possible to think that someone from Tamil Nadu medical colleges of the present times will make a name in the West in future.
The reason is that money rules the roost. There is no place for merit. The lop-sided Reservation system in TN has kept off the studious ones from Medical stream. A Minster can simply recommend a seat to some one because his/her grand father was his father's friend. If a high profile minister can do this openly against all norms of selection process, one can imagine how many intrusions are there at different levels. The doctors can not worry about these things. Their wards have to be doctors to keep their business going. In the rarest of rare cases, someone like Dr Krishnamurthy hits the headlines. But then it is not his fault. It is the minister's fault who failed to 'prepare' the Judge beforehand. The minister is perhaps habituated to take for granted this judge too!!
What is reported is the condition in Pondicherry University.
There can be no illusions about what it is like in Tamilnadu that has massive political and money clout.
Just few questions are enough for Justice Reghupathy to take Sanyaas.
Does he know that fail marks are shuffled with pass marks making the studious one lose in the bargain, being left in the lurch about what happened to his hard work?
Does he know how Reservation is a gift of another kind for a different kind of racket?
Does he know that every institution in this category has a protection of Who is Who of some political bigwigs?
Does he know that there are moles in judiciary who make money form both sides?
Does he know that 'Katta Panchaayatthu' rules the roost in these Institutions?
Who is bothered about the High Court or Supreme Court nowadays? Some minister will be there to rescue them. That is what has happened now and HH has failed to follow the customary practice.
Does he know that he can not do anything about them even if he thinks that Justice can take its course? Because that means we have to completely do away with the present crop of politicians including ministers. Can that ever happen?
The Judge can only take solace that he let know his frustration.
That is all!
- jayasree
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Whistleblower in Judge-Minister case was murdered
Gopu Mohan Posted online: Thursday , Jul 02, 2009 at 0854 hrs
Puducherry : Madras High Court Justice R Reghupathy's claim that a Union Minister tried to pressure him in a case involving alleged forgery of mark sheets in an MBBS exam has given fresh lease of life to a murder case that lies at the heart of the scandal.
The man who blew the lid off the mark sheet forgery racket in Pondicherry University was found murdered on May 20, 2008. That case is hanging fire despite demands from his family and political parties that it be handed over to the CBI which is probing the forgery case.
Jayaraman, 31, an employee in the examination department of Pondicherry University, who was found strangled to death in his farm, had formally filed a complaint to university authorities that middlemen, with the connivance of university officials, were involved in large-scale tampering of answer papers and mark sheets.
The CBI took up the forgery case six months ago and arrested a middleman and a section officer of the university. During the investigation, the agency found documents allegedly implicating Dr Krishnamurthy and his son Kiruba Sridhar, a medical student. It was while hearing their anticipatory bail plea on Monday that Justice Reghupathy claimed that a Union Minister had tried to pressure him.
Sridhar, who was appearing for his third exam — this was his last chance — at Aarupadai Veedu Medical College under the University, had scored only 9 out of 40 in ophthalmology.
The scandal first became public when Jayaraman wrote to university officials in January 2008. He said that he had collected details about how answer papers of several professional students had been replaced and mark sheets tampered with, said Durairaj, his elder brother.
Strangely, when the university set up an inquiry, Jayaraman's name came up as one of those allegedly involved.
"Soon after he filed the complaint, he started receiving calls — both threatening and with promises of money and job. Officially, he was transferred to the English Department," said Durairaj.
In February 2008, Jayaraman attempted to commit suicide. In his statement to the police, he said that pressure from within and outside the university had forced him to take such a step.
"On April 24, some henchmen threatened him with dire consequences if he gave any information to the internal inquiry panel. I advised him to file a complaint with the Kalapet police station but there was no further action," Durairaj said.
On the night of May 19, Jayaraman went to his farmland but did not return. His relatives went out in search and found his body, strangulated, his hands and legs tied. The local police have failed to make any headway in the investigation.
Jayaraman's family approached the High Court for a CBI probe into the murder case. The High Court has asked the state government for its opinion on transferring the case.
"It is evident that he was murdered for exposing the mark sheet scam. Our information is that he had collected about 200 cases which may have led to his murder. Now only the CBI can bring out the truth of the matter," said advocate MV Ramachandramurthy, vice-president of Indian Solidarity Committee for Democracy, Freedom and Human Rights, a local organisation that has taken up the case.
Durairaj said there were several unanswered questions. "The local police could not retrieve the records from Jayaraman's computer saying it was password-protected and needed experts from Chennai Cyber Crime Cell to access. After the CBI took over the forgery case, a fire broke out in the office and the computer was destroyed," he said.
"We have been investigating this case. But so far, we have not got any concrete evidence to proceed with the investigation. Also, the kin of the deceased have approached the High Court demanding the transfer of the case to CBI," said NP Sivadasan, SP (North).
University vice-chancellor J A K Tareen, a noted mineralogist, said that the university had taken prompt action against all those who were found to be guilty in the case.
"We cancelled the whole examination to ensure that no one benefited from the malpractice. Two section officers were immediately placed under suspension while those found suspicious were removed from their duties. But unfortunately we do not get much information from the police or the CBI about the two cases, making it difficult for us to take action accordingly," he said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/483911/
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Raja denies calling up HC judge
First Published : 02 Jul 2009 02:43:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 02 Jul 2009 09:22:07 AM IST
NEW DELHI: Union Communications Minister Andimuthu Raja on Wednesday denied calling up Justice R Regupathi of the Madras High Court in an attempt to influence him in the forged mark-sheet case.
The New Indian Express had faxed a letter seeking his response to rumours that he had made the controversial call to Justice R Reghupati in connection with the case involving asking him to pass orders in favour of a doctor-son duo. The case relates to anticipatory bail sought for C Krishnamurthy and his son Kiruba Sridhar, a third-year MBBS student.
The CBI registered cases against them for trying to get Sridhar's marks inflated.
Raja's aide called back to inform that the minister had denied the reports. Quoting Raja, aide Shaji Kumar said he was not involved in calling Justice R Regupathi. "He has already denied it," Kumar told Express.
Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu Assembly all opposition parties — AIADMK, CPI, CPM and PMK — on Wednesday demanded that the name of the Union Minister who had attempted to influence the Justice Regupathy of Madras High Court judge should be revealed.
However, Law Minister Durai Murugan said that the government could give its view on the allegation only if the concerned judge reveals the name of the Union Minister involved in the issue.
When PMK member Meganathan mentioned the name of a Union Minister in this connection, DMK members strongly objected to it.
Deputy Speaker V P Duraisamy expunged the remark saying that it was improper to level charge against a person who was not present in the House. Further, the judge himself had not revealed the name of the minister, he pointed out.http://tinyurl.com/n83s79
