Ketan Desai Rubbishes MCI diktat
The sacked Medical Council of India president in his first interview in 7 months says the body he once headed had mala fide intention in suspending his licence to practise. Desai also defends his decision to run for Gujarat University Senate
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, November 25, 2010 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=2010112520101125024700175ced8a018)
Breaking his silence after seven months, Ketan Desai, the former Medical Council of India president, has challenged the apex body’s decision to suspend his licence to practise and described the move as “mala fide”.
Desai, who was sacked as MCI chief and arrested on April 22 after allegations of corruption against him, told Mirror in an exclusive interview that MCI did not have the power to revoke his licence to practise as a doctor because he was not registered with it.
“I am registered with Gujarat Medical Council (GMC), which in turn, sends the list of doctors to MCI for inclusion in the Indian Medical Register. It’s only GMC that can suspend me which it has not done. And if state council does so then the appellate authority for me is the Government of India, not MCI,” Desai said.
SENATE ELECTION
Desai also defended his decision to contest election to Gujarat University Senate and said his detractors were raising phoney issues. “I have my degree and no university can cancel it. My critics are raising baseless issues... I am contesting Senate election on the seat meant for medical graduates. My licence has been suspended, my qualification is not withdrawn,” he said.
Desai is likely to be declared elected unopposed. The controversy over his election was kicked up after MCI wrote to Vice Chancellor Parimal Trivedi asking him to scrap his papers. The council has barred Desai from practising as a doctor and representing doctors in any capacity on any forum, MCI said in its letter dated November 23.
The letter signed by MCI Additional Secretary P Prasannaraj pointed out that “... in view of the grave and serious allegation against you having prima facie merit in the same, permission granted to you to practice medicine be suspended during the pendency of appeal/complaint with the Board of Governors ... which would necessarily mean and include that you are debarred from practicing medicine and participating as a doctor in a medical conference anywhere and representing doctors in any medical council, conference and association, etc….
“You (GU) are requested to take immediate necessary actions before appointment to the Senate to avoid violation of the order vide MCI letter No. MCI-211(2)/2010-Ethics/33317, dated 9th October, 2010.”
A copy of the letter was marked to state governor, UGC secretary, university registrar, Gujarat Medical Council registrar and secretary to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
GU SEEKS LEGAL OPINION
The vice chancellor said that he had received the letter and was looking into legal issues. “The language of the letter is that of a request, it is not a notice. I have sought legal opinion on the letter. I shall take action once I have received the expert opinion,” Trivedi said.
Earlier, Trivedi had said that Desai was contesting the Senate election on the seat meant for medicine graduate. As Desai had a valid MBBS degree, the university could not stop him from contesting the election.
“It is the Senate that approves a degree, and hence it is the Senate that alone can derecognise it,” Trivedi said. Desai, is facing CBI probe into scandals in which he was allegedly involved as the MCI chief. He is accused of collecting crores of rupees for giving nod for medical colleges.
He was arrested and removed from the MCI chief’s post. The government later scrapped the entire MCI body under him.
‘NONE OF MCI’s BUSINESS’
Describing the MCI decision to suspend his licence as “hasty”, Desai pointed out that the entire process was conducted in two days (October 8-9) and he was not given the opportunity to present his views.
“Besides, MCI does not have the power to suspend my licence. It is the state council that can suspend it which it has not done so far. The government can take the opinion of MCI, but the decision will be ultimately that of the government only. If I am not satisfied with the decision, I may go to the court.....
“Also, MCI has no business to stop me from participating in a seminar as a doctor. Entire decision is mala fide,” Desai said.
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, November 25, 2010 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=2010112520101125024700175ced8a018)
Breaking his silence after seven months, Ketan Desai, the former Medical Council of India president, has challenged the apex body’s decision to suspend his licence to practise and described the move as “mala fide”.
Desai, who was sacked as MCI chief and arrested on April 22 after allegations of corruption against him, told Mirror in an exclusive interview that MCI did not have the power to revoke his licence to practise as a doctor because he was not registered with it.
“I am registered with Gujarat Medical Council (GMC), which in turn, sends the list of doctors to MCI for inclusion in the Indian Medical Register. It’s only GMC that can suspend me which it has not done. And if state council does so then the appellate authority for me is the Government of India, not MCI,” Desai said.
SENATE ELECTION
Desai also defended his decision to contest election to Gujarat University Senate and said his detractors were raising phoney issues. “I have my degree and no university can cancel it. My critics are raising baseless issues... I am contesting Senate election on the seat meant for medical graduates. My licence has been suspended, my qualification is not withdrawn,” he said.
Desai is likely to be declared elected unopposed. The controversy over his election was kicked up after MCI wrote to Vice Chancellor Parimal Trivedi asking him to scrap his papers. The council has barred Desai from practising as a doctor and representing doctors in any capacity on any forum, MCI said in its letter dated November 23.
The letter signed by MCI Additional Secretary P Prasannaraj pointed out that “... in view of the grave and serious allegation against you having prima facie merit in the same, permission granted to you to practice medicine be suspended during the pendency of appeal/complaint with the Board of Governors ... which would necessarily mean and include that you are debarred from practicing medicine and participating as a doctor in a medical conference anywhere and representing doctors in any medical council, conference and association, etc….
“You (GU) are requested to take immediate necessary actions before appointment to the Senate to avoid violation of the order vide MCI letter No. MCI-211(2)/2010-Ethics/33317, dated 9th October, 2010.”
A copy of the letter was marked to state governor, UGC secretary, university registrar, Gujarat Medical Council registrar and secretary to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
GU SEEKS LEGAL OPINION
The vice chancellor said that he had received the letter and was looking into legal issues. “The language of the letter is that of a request, it is not a notice. I have sought legal opinion on the letter. I shall take action once I have received the expert opinion,” Trivedi said.
Earlier, Trivedi had said that Desai was contesting the Senate election on the seat meant for medicine graduate. As Desai had a valid MBBS degree, the university could not stop him from contesting the election.
“It is the Senate that approves a degree, and hence it is the Senate that alone can derecognise it,” Trivedi said. Desai, is facing CBI probe into scandals in which he was allegedly involved as the MCI chief. He is accused of collecting crores of rupees for giving nod for medical colleges.
He was arrested and removed from the MCI chief’s post. The government later scrapped the entire MCI body under him.
‘NONE OF MCI’s BUSINESS’
Describing the MCI decision to suspend his licence as “hasty”, Desai pointed out that the entire process was conducted in two days (October 8-9) and he was not given the opportunity to present his views.
“Besides, MCI does not have the power to suspend my licence. It is the state council that can suspend it which it has not done so far. The government can take the opinion of MCI, but the decision will be ultimately that of the government only. If I am not satisfied with the decision, I may go to the court.....
“Also, MCI has no business to stop me from participating in a seminar as a doctor. Entire decision is mala fide,” Desai said.
