Ketan Desai, a urologist from Ahmedabad who was once removed from the medical council of India (MCI) on corruption charges and continues to face a series of charge-sheets, is all set to return as head of the MCI next month.

The stage has been set with two events: on one hand, the Gujarat university senate on Sunday nominated Desai as its representative to the MCI, and the World Medical Association (WMA) last week lifted the suspension imposed on his election as its president.

HOW DESAI HAS PLOTTED HIS RETURN: READ MORE IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF GOVERNANCE NOW

A comeback will not be a surprise for Desai. In 2001, he had to step down as MCI president following income-tax raids and Delhi high court strictures. Yet, in 2009, he was back at the helm. In April 2010, he was allegedly caught with a Rs 2 crore bribe to grant recognition to a medical college in Patiala. CBI arrested him, but he was out on bail soon.

MCI suspended his licence to practice on the basis of a complaint from Dr Kunal Saha, an NRI who has been campaigning for reforms in health sector with his NGO, People for Better Treatment. However, Desai resumed his job at the BJ medical college of Ahmedabad as head of urology department – with blessings of the Narendra Modi government. On the other hand, the MCI too has not asserted authority and called the bluff.

Can a person become a member of the MCI that has held him prima facie guilty of corruption and suspended, asks Dr Saha, who has moved the supreme court against Desai.

Meanwhile, the WMA last week lifted the suspension on elected president Ketan Desai. A WMA press release states that "charges had been filed against Dr Desai and these have been withdrawn at the request of Indian prosecuting agency" [read the release attached below].

Clearly, WMA has been misled on this issue as several cases against Desai are under trial. "As per our records, Ketan Desai is a charge-sheeted person. Strong cases are pending against him in Delhi and Lucknow," said a CBI officer on condition of anonymity.

Dr Saha adds, "I have written to the CBI director, urging him to take immediate action to revoke Desai’s bail and put him behind bars until his criminal trial is concluded to ensure that he cannot influence the trial process including the witnesses through manipulation and resort to lies just as he has done to lift the ban imposed by the WMA." [Read Dr Saha’s letter to the CBI chief, attached below.]