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MPSC scam: more arrests likely

By Mahesh Vijapurkar

MUMBAI July 14. With the arrest of the former Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission, S.D. Karnik and Avinash Sanas, PA to the Minister for Social Welfare, Jayawant Avlea, and a few others today for allegedly being involved in the Maharashtra Public Service Commission scam, an official of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has said that more arrests were likely in this multi-crore scam. The persons were allegedly part of a conspiracy to provide jobs for people accepting money through the MPSC.

In the selection process for the jobs of Sub Inspectors of Police, Inspectors and Assistant Inspectors of Sales Tax, marksheets were manipulated, some answer sheets were substituted in exchange for money, according to the ACB. ``Substantial sums" changed hands but it is not clear if all the money have been traced.

The modus operandi, so far unveiled by the ACB, replicates the ways a scam was `handled' in the Punjab PSC. Mr. Karnik has also served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mumbai and was an appointee to the MPSC during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule.

The probe followed a complaint by the MPSC. While three other officials of the MPSC, a functionary of the State Secretariat and a go-between have been already booked in this scam, today's arrest is of the first "set of big fish.''

Mr. Karnik has been questioned since June 6 and his flat — which according to him was on a 60:40 partnership with his daughter in the U.S. and was paid for entirely by her — was searched and sealed.

"He was interrogated for the last three weeks. Today, his and Mr. Sanas' custody was given till July 20.''

The flat in question was bought for Rs. 1.4 crores from a serving senior police official who had acquired it as a cooperative built on cheap Government land given away to the officialdom in Nariman Point. The flat as well as another residence in Central Mumbai was searched.

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