CET seat manipulation: police and CID seem clueless about existence of case

Over nine months after an alleged fraud involving manipulation in seat allotment in the 2013 Common Entrance Test (CET) counselling came out in the open, the case seems to be all but forgotten.

Surprisingly, the police are clueless about the case, forget filing a charge sheet within the stipulated 90 days.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), to whom the case was transferred from the Malleswaram police earlier this year, does not seem to remember that such a case exists. The Malleswaram police too have no idea about the status of the case.

A senior CID police officer said that only the seat-blocking scam in the Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMEDK) counselling, which came to light with the detention of 28 students at the Kempegowda International Airport, was being investigated. On the other hand, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Malleswaram division, Sarah Fatima, said she had not come across the case in any of the crime review meetings.

As a result, at least five students, who were indicted by an internal inquiry committee, continue to occupy seats originally meant for meritorious students as the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) can initiate action only after the probe is completed.

A top KEA official told The Hindu that it was found that 22 students were allowed to verify their documents even after the last date to do so had passed. Of these, six students were found to have used fake documents.

“One of them voluntarily gave up her seat. The remaining five were sent notices to which they have replied. But, they continue to study in the colleges they were allotted. The next course of action can be taken depending on the investigations by the CID,” the source said.

The scam caused ripples after the involvement of the then Administrative Officer S.P. Kulkarni was exposed after which he was suspended.

The inquiry report found evidence that Mr. Kulkarni (who was posted to another department soon after) had, during counselling for admissions to government and government-quota seats for 2013–14, changed the category of 70 students from ‘general merit’ to ‘rural’ and other categories to ensure seats for them.