From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Feb 3: A Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inquiry has been ordered by the State Government into the alleged fraud committed in admission of students for professional courses by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), particularly in 2013-14.

The State Government has already suspended S P Kulkarni, Administrative Officer, KEA, for tampering documents (at the CET document verification stage) to favour a few students during counselling for last year’s CET rank-holders.

A total of 70 students are likely to lose their seats as they were allegedly obtained through fraudulent means.

Karnataka’s Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande, who spoke to reporters in Bangalore on Monday, said the KEA issued show-cause notices to students as well as certificate issuing authorities such as tahsildars and principals of the institutions.

They have been given a fortnight’s time to reply, after which a decision will be taken, he said.

The KEA conducted couselling from 13 centers across the State and 70 counters in Bangalore.

Deshpande said the State Government would decide whether the CID probe would cover only last year’s admissions or previous years also.

Officers who were found to have indulged into admission of students with tampering of documents would not be spared, he warned.

Deshpande said the administrative officer allegedly changed the category of 70 students to ensure seats for them during counselling for admissions to government and government-quota seats for the year 2013-14.

A legal committee has been set up to verify documents produced by students, he said.

A total of 122 documents were verified and it was found that the category of students had been changed from "general merit" to "rural" and other categories such as income and caste to benefit them.

Fraud was committed in admissions to engineering, medical and pharmaceutical seats, he claimed.

As per the KED order issued on May 24, 2013, students were allowed to verify documents only once and there was no scope for verification for the second time.

However, the officials received applications from students for verification of documents for the second time,  Deshpande said and termed it "illegal."