New Delhi, Feb 9 (IANS): The government has decided to refer the UPCMET-2015 MBBS admission scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for investigation.

Amit Biswas, Under Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in a letter on February 8 to petitioner Surender Singh Hooda, said "the matter has been referred to the CBI for further investigation."

Hooda, an investigative journalist, had filed the petition seeking a CBI probe into the alleged corruption in the UP Unaided Medical Colleges' Welfare Association that conducted the UPCMET-2015.

Hooda in 2015 conducted a sting operation at K.D. Medical College in Mathura, UP. It exposed the holes in the admission process in private medical colleges.

With both the Health Ministry and the Medical Council of India (MCI) not forwarding the case to the CBI, Hooda in 2016 filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court.

Last year, Hooda made fresh representations to the MCI Board of Governors with more evidences. After analysing it, the MCI referred it to Preeti Sudan, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, stating the issue "requires in-depth investigation by multiple agencies, which is out of the purview of the Council, therefore, it is recommended that this matter may be handed over to appropriate investigation agency."

The MCI's letter to the Ministry also noted that there were discrepancies in the MBBS admissions made by four medical colleges.

"Truth will be revealed and those who deprived almost 1,900 genuine students aspiring to get an MBBS seat in private medical colleges of UP in the academic year 2015-2016 must be punished for their unethical and illegal act," Hooda said.