HC impleads Iran Consulate in medical capitation fee case

When the case came up for hearing, Justice PN Prakash directed the officials to appear during the next hearing on April 26. The judge also directed the college management to furnish all details about the Iranian students.

As per the case, even before the Supreme Court delivered its verdict making National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) mandatory for all medical and dental course admissions, the college had admitted many foreign nationals in the BDS course. These students had to forfeit their admission following the Supreme Court order. 

When the management refused to return the capitation fee, one of them, Naseer Hamidavi Segheiri, lodged a complaint at the Thirukalukundram police station, and an FIR was registered. He subsequently moved the Madras High Court.

During the earlier hearings, the management had contended that the students had voluntarily absented themselves. But it was pointed out that Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University had discharged the complainant from the course for not having cleared NEET, and had also sent a note to the Iranian embassy that 12 Iranians have been discharged from the dental colleges affiliated to it, in 2016-17.

However, during the hearing on Tuesday, the counsel appearing for the college submitted that the college stood to lose Rs 73 lakhs every year for the next five years owing to the seats falling vacant due to this. Denying the charge that the students paid more than Rs 25 lakh, he said there were receipts to prove payment of only Rs.5.5 Lakh per student.

The District Crime Branch which is probing the case has also been directed to be present when the case will be taken up for hearing on Thursday.