M A I N   N E W S

CBI checks into PEC, books 11 students
Tribune News Service

When asked whether any students had been arrested, the DIG, CBI, Mahesh Aggarwal said the probe was at initiate stage and he could not say anything at this stage. “The students are suspects and their role is being examined along with the role of the mastermind,” he said.

Sources in the CBI said union ministry of Human Resources and Development has entrusted the Central Coordination of Admission under DASA Scheme to the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) Surathkal. Under the DASA scheme the foreign nationals, persons of Indian origin and Indian nationals studying abroad were eligible for admissions.

The students have to appear in Scholastic Aptitude Test- II (SAT-II), besides other academic qualifications. The admissions were coordinated and financed by NIT, Surathkal, Karnataka and students reported at PEC. The CBI identified the mastermind behind the scam as Dr Nishi Kant of Hisar. He has managed these admissions on the basis of forged documents by charging Rs 10 to 15 lakh each from the students.

One CBI team from Chandigarh is conducting investigation at Hisar and has conducting searches at the residence of Dr. Nishi Kant. The team has seized documents from PEC and from the residence of Dr Nishi Kant.

However, an employee said, “The CBI officials today asked for all details related to students who sought admission against DASA scheme. The admissions to all the national institutes of technologies across the country are made through a centralised agency. Unlike last year, when the admissions were made through a government agency, the admissions this year was made by NIT-Karnataka.”

The CBI team remained stationed in the conference hall of the administrative block of the college and conducted closed-door investigations.