18 foreign students among 30 chargesheeted in UoP re-evaluation scam

Assistant inspector Mahesh Bolkotgi investigating the case said,“We have chargesheeted 30 individuals comprising university staffers,agents and students. Of the 30 accused,12 have been arrested and 18 are at large. The chargesheet was prepared under the guidance of senior police officers and legal advisers. Pune police commissioner also personally took interest in the case.”

In October 2012,investigation by Cantonment police into dummy candidates’ racket at some private colleges had revealed that the arrested were also involved in fraudulently passing students by facilitating an increase in their marks during re-evaluation. Vice-Chancellor W N Gade had set up a fact-finding committee headed by retired ACP Sharad Awasthi to investigate the matter. The committee had named three examination department clerks for involvement in the alleged irregularities. Following this,a complaint was filed by the then Controller of Examination Sampada Joshi at Chatushungi police station.

Soon,the police arrested seven university staff and three students. Among the arrested staffers was a member of the fact-finding committee appointed by the university to probe into the allegations,the head and another employee of the re-evaluation section,and a senior clerk. Police have till now not been able to trace the foreign students involved in the scam.