TN govt withdraws Dental Council nominee

The bribery case involving some members of the Dental Council of India (DCI) in Tamil Nadu took a new twist on Saturday after the State government withdrew its nominee, an accused in this case, to the medical board.

In separate orders, the State Health and Family Welfare Department and Tamil Nadu governor announced the withdrawal of Dr R Gunaseelan Rajan, Medical Director of Rajan Dental Institute, “as a member of the DCI representing the State of Tamil Nadu, with immediate effect.”

The state government’s move comes a day after Gunaseelan, a noted oral and maxillofacial surgeon and also President of the Tamil Nadu Dental Council, was arrested by the CBI here in the graft case involving the private dental college and hospital run by Adi Parasakthi Trust in Melmaruvathur near Chennai, after bribe amount to the tune of Rs 75 lakh, allegedly received by Dr Gunaseelan was seized from a financier with whom the money had been entrusted.

 The CBI had first arrested a Chennai-based DCI member Dr S Murugesan, when he had allegedly tried to take a bribe of Rs 25 lakh to help clear the course approval by the apex dental body.

On his interrogation, Dr Gunaseelan’s involvement also came to be known, according to CBI sources.

They charged the duo with “taking bribes for organising different approvals by the DCI” as its Executive Committee members for fledgling colleges seeking the apex body’s approval for starting new courses.

 In another related government order, the Governor also removed both Dr Gunaseelan and Dr Murugesan “as members of the Tamil Nadu Dental Council with immediate effect”. 

Dr Gunaseelan’s name has also been deleted from the ‘High Level Committee’ set up by the state government to advise it on the proposed setting up of a multi-super speciality hospital, on par with AIIMS, New Delhi, and a medical college at the Omandurar Government Estate in the heart of Chennai, where the new yet unused Secretariat complex stands.