At RG Kar, CBI probes ‘diversion’ of college fund

At RG Kar, CBI probes ‘diversion’ of college fund 

Rohit.Khanna@timesofindia.com 

Kolkata : CBI started probing alleged money laundering through academic funds diversion and disposal of bio-medical waste in RG Kar Hospital during arrested ex-principal Sandip Ghosh’stenure. The agency has come across allegations of the hospital’s funds being drained in counselling sessions for UG and PG students. 

In a 20-day counselling session, the hospital allegedly spent Rs 14 lakh on hiring CCTV cameras, sound systems, tables, chairs and computer accessories, and a few other expense heads. Expenses for backing up data on a pen drive was between Rs 4,000 and Rs 12,000 per day. Huge amounts were also spent in the name of procuring hybrid Wi-Fi connection, printer toners and other accessories. 

The agency is also examining documents related to work orders for biomedical waste management companies without any treatment facility in Bengal. 

The agency has stumbled upon a complaint in which bio-medical waste was found at dump sites at Barrackpore Municipality and Budge Budge Municipality, several kilometres from the hospital. It was alleged the companies dumped hazardous waste in plastic bags and left them open at these sites. Some other offences may surface during the probe, the agency has told a CBI court that remanded Ghosh earlier this week.

NEWS TO DAY 05.09.2024

 

Nursing colleges get notice over excess fee collection

Nursing colleges get notice over excess fee collection 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 5.9.24

Bengaluru : Flooded by complaints over additional fees being collected from students seeking admission to nursing colleges, the admission overseeing committee has issued a notice to such institutions asking them to adhere to rules. As per Justice B Manohar, who heads the committee, there have been at least six written complaints and numerous phone calls regarding the same. Currently, the fee structure is Rs 10,000 for students admitted under the govt quota, Rs 1 lakh under management quota, and Rs 1.40 lakh for nonKarnataka students. “Some colleges have been demanding up to Rs 1 lakh for govt quota seats. They charge the excess fee under additional heads like uniform and transport. 

When I interacted with the principals and said that the students do not need transport, they came up with excuses like the students will have to be taken to the hospital. These explanations cannot be accepted. Colleges will have to adhere to the rules,” said Justice Manohar. 

“Demanding and collection of any amount over and above the fee prescribed by govt is contrary to law and ex ploitation of the students. As you are all aware that under the consensual agreement between the state govt and the association of private nursing colleges, the fee payable by the students, both under govt quota seats and private quota seats, are fixed by the state govt,” said the notice. Any demand for amount over and above the fee prescribed by the govt is not only contrary to the provisions of the Karnataka Educational Institutions (Prohibition of Capitation Fee) Act, 1984, but also the Karnataka Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Determination of Fee) Act, 2006, the notice dated Sept 4,2024 said, adding that action will be taken in accordance with the law. 

“The govt should address the practice of private nursing colleges requiring local students to stay in hostels and forcibly, collecting hostel fees . This includes cases where students are threatened, saying their admit cards will be withheld. Action should be taken against such  coercive practices,” said Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje of National PreUniversity Students, Parents and Teachers’Association. He requested KEA to publish full list of students, who are allotted seats, to ensure transparency in admissions

CYBER CRIME

 

Doctor pursuing mistaken transaction loses ₹1.5 lakh

Doctor pursuing mistaken transaction loses ₹1.5 lakh

Chaithanya.Swamy@timesofindia.com 

Bengaluru : In the latest cybercrime reported in the city, a 32-year-old doctor who raised a complaint with National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) about a mistaken transaction fell prey to cybercrooks and ended up losing Rs 1.5 lakh. According to police, this is a new type of cybercrime reported in the city in recent days. Dr Raksha (name changed) told Annapoorneshwarinagar police in her complaint that she wanted to send Rs 10,000 to someone known to her through a digital payment app on Aug 27. However, the Nagarabhavi resident ended up sending it to the wrong person. 

After realising that she had made a mistake, Dr Raksha visited the NPCI portal to register a complaint. NPCI is a payment and settlement infrastructure initiative of the Reserve Bank of India and Indian Banks’Association. She entered the details such as the type of transaction, the first six and last four digits of her debit card number, bank name and ac count number, mobile number, and her name, and raised a complaint. She received a call from two numbers on Aug 31. 

The callers introduced themselves as NPCI officials and on the pretext of helping her get her money back and close the complaint, they asked her to reveal her bank balance. After she shared the details they sought, the miscreants asked her to open her bank’s mobile app. As Dr Raksha had not installed the app, they asked her to download it and register. They made her keep the app open until they finished the “verification and refund”. According to her, the miscreants siphoned off Rs 1,49,777 from her account in multiple transactions. 

She noticed the amount debited from her account and told them about the same. However, they claimed it was due to technical glitches, and they would resolve the issue. She suspected that they were cheating her and complained to the cyber helpline. She lodged a  complaint with police on Sept 2. A senior officer said they are investigating how the cybercrooks accessed the details of her complaint to NPCI. A case has been registered under the Information Technology Act and the investigation is in progress.

Over a dozen snakelets found in restroom in govt college at Cheyyar

Over a dozen snakelets found in restroom in govt college at Cheyyar 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 5.9.2024 

Tiruvannamalai : Panic gripped students of Arignar Anna Govt Arts and Science college in Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai district on Tuesday after a girl student spotted more than a dozen snakelets in the ladies’ restroom in the college and alerted students, teaching and non-teaching faculty members. 

A few students entered the restroom and took videos and photos of the snakelets inside. These were shared widely on social media. The college management locked the restroom complex, and pasted a notice alerting students of the presence of snakelets and requested them not to use it. 

The college management then sent at alert to the forest department, which sent a team that rescued more than half a dozen snakelets and launched a hunt for other reptiles on the campus. Students said they spotted a snake a few days ago near therestroom, but the reptile escaped even before a rescue team could reach the college. 

There are about 8,500 students, including girls, studying in the college, which functions in two shifts. Students complained that restrooms in the college were not maintained properly. Moreover, thick bushes and shrubs covered the restrooms, making it ideal for poisonous insects and reptiles. College principal S Kalaivani said the bush and shrub near the restroom grew fast after the recent rain and promised students to clear the vegetation and clean restrooms

PG medico kills himself over family issues

PG medico kills himself over family issues 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 5.9.2024 

Chennai : A post-graduate medical student committed suicide by injecting a lethal dose into his body at the hostel of Madras Medical College around 7 am on Wednesday. Police said he took the extreme step due to a family issue. The deceased, Aravind, 24, a native of Ezhayiram Pannai in Virudhunagar, was pursuing his firstyear master's degree at the Madras Medical College and stayed at the hostel. 

On Wednesday, his batchmates suspected something was wrong as Aravind didn’t come out of his room. They informed the hostel warden who then broke open the door, only to find Aravind lying unconscious on his bed. Students got Aravind admitted to a hospital, where doctors examined and declared him dead on arrival. On information, a police team from Triplicane recovered his laptop, mobile phone and other documents from his room. Police found an empty syringe, and said the deceased had selfadministered an injection that killed him. 

Forensic officials have recovered the syringe for medical examination to confirm the chemical remains in it. Preliminary inquiries revealed that Aravind had an argument with his family as they denied him permission to marry his uncle’s daughter. Police suspect that Aravind may have taken the extreme step due to this issue. Triplicane police have registered a case, and further investigations are on.

 It may be recalled that a medical college student, Shirley, committed suicide on Sunday by leaping off the fifth floor of the hostel building at Meenakshi Medical College in Kancheepuram. In yet another incident at Virudhunagar, a second-year medical student, Vivega, took her life by hanging from the ceiling at her house after she failed twice in a subject in her first-year semester examinations.

(Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadu’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline (044-24640050).