PMO‑CVC Probe Unveils ₹200 Cr MBBS Scam at D.Y. Patil College.

Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098

A ₹74.38 crore MBBS fee refund scam at the infamous D.Y. Patil Medical College in Pune has sparked a high-level PMO and CVC probe. Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT) and whistleblowers revealed systemic corruption. Editor-in-Chief Unmesh Gujarathi now faces death threats, prompting calls for immediate protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act.

A ₹74.38 crore corruption scandal at the infamous D.Y. Patil Medical College, Pimpri, Pune, has shaken India’s private medical education sector. The case, under direct monitoring by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and active scrutiny from the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), is being personally overseen by PM’s Secretary and former RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, with Under Secretary Mukul Dixit spearheading the operational follow-up.

The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has played a central role in exposing the scam, working closely with whistleblowers to uncover systemic malpractice. The developments have intensified pressure on both regulatory authorities and the wider private medical college network.

Unmesh Gujarathi, Editor-in-Chief of Sprouts News and the second key whistleblower after Dr. Divyansh Dwivedi, is now facing a series of abusive calls and death threats. His investigation revealed illegal MBBS fifth-year fee collections of ₹32 lakh per student, degree withholding, stipend misappropriation, and student harassment.

Following relentless SIT coverage and persistent CVC complaints, the college refunded ₹74.38 crore to students—one of the largest restitution cases in Indian medical history. However, sources allege that corrupt Bhagyashree Patil, alongside Prasad Patil and Yashraj Patil, orchestrated an intimidation campaign to silence further reporting.

The threats, allegedly from numbers linked to college management, were laced with vulgar abuse and demands to “stop printing against D.Y. Patil.” Calls came from multiple phone numbers, suggesting an organized pressure tactic:

•  +91 91727 90530

•+91 8623-861161

•+91 84858 30530

•+91 93561 58583

•+91 832-9772575

The CVC began its investigation on 27 February 2025, after Dr. Dwivedi’s formal complaint. By 26 April, Complaint No. 105275/2025 had detailed fee exploitation and regulatory inaction. On 30 April, the PMO forwarded the case to the Ministry of Health, with further escalations on 8 May demanding freezing of excess fee collections and criminal proceedings.

•PMO compliance reminder on 15 May.

•Urgent follow-ups in August.

•Confirmation from Under Secretary Mukul Dixit on 7 August that “the case has already been taken for examination.”

Just days later, threats against Unmesh Gujarathi were reported to apex authorities, deepening concerns about journalist safety.

Unmesh Gujarathi has notified police but refrained from immediate FIR filing to avoid “spoiling the careers of misguided youth.” He has warned, however, that if harassment persists, charges under IPC Sections 384 (Extortion) and 506 (Criminal Intimidation) will be pursued.

The college management has publicly denied involvement, but whistleblower insiders claim the same individuals now disowned by the institution were previously acting under direct instructions. The Sprouts SIT maintains that this reflects a pattern of hypocrisy and evasion.

Legal experts and civil society leaders are calling for urgent intervention by Maharashtra Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, invoking the Whistle Blowers Protection Act to provide state-backed security to both Gujarathi and Dwivedi. They argue that shielding investigative journalists and whistleblowers is critical to preserving the integrity of Indian democracy.

“This fight is for social justice, not personal vendetta. Sprouts News will continue to fulfill its role as the Fourth Pillar of Democracy. Attempts to muzzle the press will fail.”

The ₹74.38 crore scam at the infamous D.Y. Patil Medical College is now a national litmus test for whistleblower protection, press freedom, and corruption accountability in India’s private medical education system.

• The D.Y. Patil Medical College, Pune, has repeatedly found itself mired in controversies well before the current ₹74.38 crore illegal MBBS fee refund scandal. Over the past decade, the institution has faced allegations of charging capitation fees far exceeding government-mandated limits, bypassing the official admission process, and exploiting loopholes in the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) guidelines.

Multiple inspections by the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI) and later the National Medical Commission (NMC) raised serious concerns about faculty shortages, ghost attendance records, and manipulation of hospital patient data to meet minimum requirements for accreditation. In 2018, an MCI report flagged discrepancies in infrastructure claims and patient inflow figures submitted by the college — irregularities that should have triggered strict punitive action. However, despite mounting evidence, regulatory bodies largely failed to act decisively, fuelling speculation of deep-rooted political and bureaucratic shielding.

The college has also been linked to controversies beyond academic misconduct. Whistleblowers have alleged misuse of charitable trust land for commercial purposes, irregularities in hostel fee collections, and even intimidation of student activists who dared to question the administration. In 2021, a leaked set of internal communications hinted at potential grade manipulation for influential students. While the management has consistently denied all wrongdoing, the pattern of allegations suggests systemic malpractice — raising urgent questions about oversight, governance, and the true cost of private medical education in India.