KEA staff, 9 others arrested in Karnataka engineering seat-blocking scam

Ten individuals, including a staff member of the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), have been arrested in connection with a seat-blocking scam during the 2024-2025 undergraduate engineering admissions, police reported on Tuesday.
The arrests followed an investigation launched after KEA officials filed a complaint on November 13, suspecting a fraudulent scheme.
According to police, the scam involved the manipulation of seat allocations for engineering colleges under the government quota. Investigators found that several middlemen, staff members from private engineering colleges, and a KEA employee were involved in the operation.
Three private college managers were initially questioned based on the complaint, leading to the discovery of crucial evidence.
“We have arrested 10 individuals in total, including the KEA staffer. The others are middlemen and college staff members,” a senior police officer confirmed. The arrests were made over time, with three suspects taken into custody on Monday. They have been remanded to 10 days of police custody.
The case has been registered under various sections for cheating and criminal breach of trust, as well as provisions of the Information Technology Act.
The FIR filed by KEA alleges that candidates with no intention of attending college were used to make fake option entries for various engineering institutions. Unauthorised individuals obtained login IDs and passwords from 52 candidates, making option entries on their behalf.
The accused reportedly blocked seats under the government quota at BMS Engineering College, Akash Institute of Engineering and Technology, and New Horizon College of Engineering. These actions are said to have benefited private colleges while depriving eligible students of their rightful opportunities.
Further investigation revealed that the accused used mobile phones and laptops to log in from different locations, including Goa, Bengaluru, Shivamogga, Davanagere, and Kadur in Chikmagalur. The scam aimed to secure government quota seats for private institutions.
Authorities also discovered that the accused destroyed key evidence, including 13 mobile phones, several documents, and three laptops used in the scheme. These remains have been seized for further analysis.
The investigation is ongoing as police work to uncover the full extent of the scam and identify any other individuals involved.