Gorakhpur-Patna AIIMS Director Accused of Forging Certificates for Son and Daughter’s Admission

Patna: The director of AIIMS Gorakhpur, Dr. Gopal Krishna Pal, is facing serious allegations of forgery after a complaint was lodged accusing him of using fake certificates to secure prestigious medical positions for his son and daughter within the institution. This scandal has rocked the medical community and raised questions about corruption at one of India’s premier healthcare institutions.

The complaint, filed by Gaurav Gupta, an additional professor at AIIMS, names Dr. Gopal Krishna Pal, his wife Prabhati Pal, and their son Auro Prakash Pal as key figures in the alleged fraud. According to the complaint, Dr. Pal used falsified documents to get his son admitted into the MD-PG course in the Microbiology Department at AIIMS Gorakhpur. Furthermore, his daughter was reportedly appointed as a Senior Resident in the Forensic Medicine Department using similarly fraudulent means.

The controversy came to light after it was discovered that Auro Prakash Pal had presented a fake OBC (Other Backward Class) certificate and a falsified non-creamy layer document to gain admission into the MD-PG course on April 27, 2024. The documents allegedly claimed his family’s income was under ₹8 lakh, allowing him to benefit from the reserved category quota. However, investigations revealed that Dr. Gopal Krishna Pal, the director of both AIIMS Gorakhpur and Patna, earns an estimated ₹80-90 lakh per annum, and his wife is a professor at JIPMER, Pondicherry. This income would place the family well outside the eligibility for such a reservation.

Following the discovery, Auro’s appointment was promptly halted. But the investigation did not end there. Further inquiries revealed that Dr. Pal’s daughter had also secured a post at AIIMS using falsified credentials, further escalating the scandal.

As the news spread, the AIIMS Gorakhpur administration has been in damage control mode. Arup Mohanty, the media in-charge for AIIMS, has attempted to downplay the incident, but internal sources indicate that the scandal is causing widespread concern within the institution. The administration is reportedly preparing to file formal charges against Dr. Gopal Krishna Pal and his family.

Despite the mounting allegations, Dr. Pal has remained elusive. He was expected to return to Gorakhpur on Tuesday but failed to do so after the forgery claims surfaced. His absence has further fueled speculation and unrest within the hospital, with staff and faculty calling for swift action.

This isn’t the first time AIIMS Gorakhpur has been at the center of controversy. The institution, which has been under scrutiny for irregularities in its operations, faced a similar scandal when its first director, Surekha Kishore, was forced to step down after it was revealed that her son had been appointed as a junior resident under questionable circumstances.

The ongoing issues at AIIMS Gorakhpur raise broader concerns about the integrity of appointments and the influence of nepotism within India’s medical institutions. As the investigation into Dr. Pal’s actions continues, the spotlight is firmly on the hospital’s leadership, with many calling for a thorough overhaul to restore trust in the system.