Police have busted a racket allegedly involved in leaking the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) question paper and facilitating candidates to clear the examination through fraudulent means in Maharashtra`s Kolhapur district, officials said, reported news agency PTI.
The TET was conducted on November 23. TET is a mandatory qualifying exam for the recruitment of teachers in primary and upper primary schools.
Acting on a tip-off that some individuals were circulating the question paper on the eve of the exam for money, the police swung into action and detained several suspects. So far, 18 persons, including the key accused Mahesh Gaikwad, have been arrested, the officials said on Tuesday, reported PTI.
“Based on the inputs, a joint team of the Local Crime Branch and Murgud police raided a furniture shop in Songe village in Kagal tehsil in the early hours of November 23. During the raid, five candidates, who were supposed to appear for the TET later that day, were found at the spot,” a police official said, reported PTI.
“When asked, they said that one Rahul Patil was expected to arrive with the leaked question paper,” he said, reported PTI.
Patil and two others were subsequently detained. During their interrogation, Patil allegedly confessed that Gaikwad had promised to provide him with the TET paper, which he was to hand over to the candidates for Rs 3 lakh, the official said, reported PTI.
Gaikwad was later arrested from Karad in Satara district, he added.
“So far, we have arrested 18 persons in the case and the number may rise as the probe progresses. The involvement of more individuals, including facilitators and beneficiaries of the leak, is being investigated. We are also verifying the financial transactions linked to the scam,” the official said, reported PTI.
Pune land deal: Stamp duty recovery notice hearing on December 4
Meanwhile, the Revenue Department will conduct a hearing on December 4 on a plea by the firm linked to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar`s son Parth Pawar regarding the Rs 21 crore stamp duty recovery notice issued to it in a land deal case, officials said on Tuesday, reported PTI.
Lawyers representing Amadea Enterprises LLP had also sought a 15-day extension to respond to the stamp duty notice issued by the department.
“They have now demanded a hearing on the stamp duty notice issued earlier, which will be held on December 4,” an official from the Inspector General of Registration`s (IGR) Office said, reported PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)