The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at 18 campuses across Bengaluru today, June 25, in connection with a large-scale engineering seat blocking scam allegedly involving several private engineering colleges.
As per a report by The Hindu, the institutions under the scanner include BMS College of Engineering, Akash Institute of Engineering and Technology, and New Horizon College of Engineering. The ED confirmed in a statement that the searches were carried out at college offices, the residence and office of trustees, private education consultants, and seat-blocking agents suspected of being involved in the racket.
The crackdown follows a case registered by the Malleswaram police based on a complaint by the PU Board.
Investigations led to the arrest of 12 individuals, including the alleged kingpin of the scam. Police also filed a charge sheet naming several middlemen, who were reportedly blocking seats and reselling them to clients for as much as Rs 60 lakh per seat.
The Enforcement Directorate is now probing the money laundering angle, tracking financial transactions worth several crores allegedly linked to the scam. The investigation aims to uncover how unaccounted funds were routed and laundered through consultants and agents working in collusion with insiders.
This case has sparked fresh concerns about unethical admission practices in private professional colleges and the role of agents in manipulating the seat allocation process.
