Bhopal: On Friday, a division bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the removal of Jiten Chandra Shukla, Chairman, and Anita Chand, Secretary of the MP Nursing Registration Council (MPNRC), stating that both were implicated in the nursing college scam. The court deemed their continued appointments to these key positions unacceptable.
The bench, comprising Justice Sanjay Dwivedi and Justice A.K. Paliwal, was hearing a petition regarding the widespread operation of fake nursing colleges in MP. The court took issue with the state government’s response, which mentioned that a three-member committee had been formed by the Director of Medical Education to investigate complaints against Chand. This was despite an earlier oral order by the court to remove both officials. The judges instructed the Principal Secretary of Medical Education to immediately remove the two officials and directed the office of the Advocate General to ensure the order reached the Chief Secretary for compliance.
The petition was filed by Vishal Baghel, President of the Law Students’ Association, who accused Chand and Shukla of being directly involved in the scam concerning the recognition of numerous fake nursing colleges. Baghel argued that their positions in MPNRC gave them the power to influence evidence related to the scam, undermining the investigation.
Anita Chand was part of the inspection committee that submitted a false report on March 4, 2022, leading to the recognition of RKS Nursing College in Bhopal, a decision that was later revoked. The application against Jiten Chandra Shukla claimed that as Director of MPNRC, he oversaw several irregularities in granting recognition to nursing colleges.
The court, after reviewing these applications, instructed the respondents to explain why individuals involved in such matters were appointed to key roles. The court noted that instead of adhering to the earlier order, the state had shown a December 2, 2024, order from the Directorate of Medical Education, which established a committee to inspect nursing colleges and review complaints against Chand. The judges expressed dissatisfaction with the committee’s formation, stressing that such individuals should not hold important posts given their involvement in the irregular recognition process.
“We cannot allow such officers, who were part of the earlier process, to retain these important posts,” the bench stated. “There is a high likelihood that they would try to protect themselves and others, possibly tampering with the evidence.”
The court condemned these efforts and stated they were aimed at thwarting its attempts to rectify the irregularities in the recognition process. As a result, the court ordered the immediate removal of both Chand and Shukla and instructed the appointment of new, reputable officials to replace them. The Chief Secretary was directed to ensure compliance, and the Advocate General’s office was tasked with informing the Principal Secretary and Chief Secretary of the court’s order.
