Bengaluru’s education sector faces renewed scrutiny as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attaches assets worth ₹19.46 crore linked to BMS Educational Trust trustees. The seized properties—a plot and two apartments—were frozen on January 21 amid a PMLA probe into rampant seat manipulation.
Triggered by police FIRs, the case exposes how engineering seats were blocked and auctioned illegally through the Karnataka Examination Authority’s admission process. Colleges under BMS demanded exorbitant capitation fees in cash, far exceeding government-regulated amounts, funneled via agents and brokers.
Extensive searches in May and June yielded incriminating evidence: ₹1.86 crore cash haul, notebooks detailing deals, digital chats, and papers proving ₹20.20 crore in black money from admissions. Management admitted to off-books collections routed for private luxury.
This scam underscores systemic flaws where desperate students pay premiums for seats. ED’s action signals a zero-tolerance stance, with ongoing investigations promising further arrests and attachments. Stakeholders await judicial outcomes to restore integrity in merit-based admissions.
