AYUSH admission scam: Uttar Pradesh STF arrests private hospital director in Mirzapur

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UPSTF) probing into the AYUSH scam arrested Dr Ritu Garg, Director of Santushti Ayurvedic Medical College, Mirzapur on Wednesday and sent to jail till March 13.

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UPSTF) probing the AYUSH admission scam arrested the owner of a private medical college and hospital in Mirzapur early on Wednesday. Dr Ritu Garg, the Director of Santushti Ayurvedic Medical College in Mirzapur was arrested and sent to jail till March 13, the STF said.

Garg has been arrested for allegedly facilitating the admission of undeserving candidates by forging the NEET merit list in connivance with former Ayurveda director SN Singh and counselling incharge Umakant Yadav. In the AYUSH scam case, in November 2022, anomalies were flagged by the Union ministry of Ayush in admission of undergraduate students to state's government and private ayurvedic, Unani and homeopathy colleges. The probe revealed that 932 students were admitted without following the natural order of merit.

STF has already filed a charge sheet against Prof. Dr SN Singh, former Director Ayurveda Services - Member Secretary, Counseling, Principal and Superintendent, and Umakant Yadav, Officer-in-Charge, Directorate of Education, Ayurveda Services, the original post, Professor Government Ayurveda Medical College and were also suspended in November. Previously, in November last year, the Uttar Pradesh government recommended the Centre to conduct a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities in admissions in AYUSH colleges in the year 2021 in the state. The recommendation was made on the directions of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.