KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
A day after Crime Branch registered a case for alleged cheating of students by some consultants and NGOs under Prime Ministers Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS), Inspector General of Police Crime, Muneer Ahmad Khan Thursday said they have summoned several NGO heads and some individuals for their role in the fraud.
He also said that the crime branch is also looking for any official involvement in the case.
Talking to Kashmir News Service (KNS) Khan said, “In the preliminary investigation we found that there is involvement of NGOs in the fraud. We have summoned heads of some valley based NGOs for questioning. During the investigations it also came to the fore that some individuals are also involved in this case.
“The Crime Branch is also investigating the possibility of any official involvement. FIRs would be lodged against Individuals as well as NGOs involved in the scam,” he added.
Asked how many students have been cheated in this scheme, the IGP Crime said, “Though we are at the initial stage of the case it seems that thousands of students have been cheated.”
He said that the Crime Branch had received complaint from Chief Vigilance Commissioner and Higher Education department that the students of JK have been cheated by extorting the money on the pretext of the centrally sponsored schemes.
“The Crime Branch has found that NGOs, Private Organizations and individuals having duped several thousand youngsters of money worth Lakhs on the pretext of getting them admitted in various prestigious institutions under PMSS. They misled and used students for their own benefits. Even we found that some established NGOs, who host large scale events are doubted to be involved,” he said and added that action will be taken against the culprits.
The IGP also said that after finding the mess in 2012 common entrance test when Mushtaq Ahmed Peer proved to be involved in CET scam the Crime Branch broadened its investigation circle by looking into 2010 tests as well.
“The need for broadening the scope of investigations was felt, as Peer had taken over the charge of Board of Professional Entrance Examinations, in 2009. We are investigating the CET admissions that took place during Mushtaq Peer’s tenure in 2010,” he said and added that the call details of some students who got selected in CET 2010 are also being accessed.
