Congress suspects KTR hand in Rs 100-Cr EAMCET-2 scam

The Telangana Congress Legislature Party on Saturday suspected the involvement of Information Technology Minister K. Tarakarama Rao in the leakage of Eamcet-2 question paper. Addressing a press conference at the CLP office, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir, along with MLC Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, claimed that they had evidence to prove KTR's link with the leaked question paper. "The State Government had assigned the contract of online and offline registrations, biometric attendance and printing of OMR sheets for Eamcet-2 to Magnetic Infotech Pvt Ltd, a company reportedly owned by a close friend of KTR. The company was blacklisted by the SSC Board and Board of Intermediate Examinations. Despite receiving a negative feedback from the JNTU authorities, the State Government assigned the contract to Magnetic Infotech. It was reportedly done at the instance of IT Minister himself," he alleged. Describing Eamcet-2 paper leakage case as more than Rs. 100 crore scam, Shabbir Ali demanded that the State Government should order a CBI probe into the matter. "Since the case involves the relatives of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, one cannot expect free and fair inquiry by the CB-CID. Therefore, the government should order a CBI enquiry," he demanded. He said the Congress party would furnish the documentary evidence to the Central investigating agency. Shabbir Ali accused the TRS Government of subjecting thousands of students to mental torture by failing to prevent leakage of question paper and then ordering its cancellation. "The government is not willing to fix any accountability. Ideally, the Chief Minister should have stepped down from his post. But KCR is conveniently operating from his farm house. Deputy CM (Education) Kadiyam Srihari is in the US and Health Minister Lakshma Reddy is busy with some other activities. "Collectively, they are giving an impression as if nothing has happened. Both the ministers, Kadiyam Srihari and Lakshma Reddy, and Eamcet-2 Convener and other responsible officials should be sacked immediately," he said. Commenting on High Court's decision setting aside the appointment of Vice-Chancellors, Shabbir Ali said it was a tight slap on the TRS Government's face. He said so far the High Court had over-ruled more than 15 major decisions taken by the TRS Government. These include decisions on Number Plates, FAST, Parliamentary Secretaries, etc. Instead of learning a lesson from the landmark judgments delivered by the High Court against State Government's wrong policies, the Chief Minister was reluctant to change his attitude. Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy described the Chief Minister's review meeting with the newly appointed Vice-Chancellors as an insult to the entire judicial system. "The High Court has cancelled the appointment of new VCs as it was done against the set norms. At the request of the Advocate-General, the court granted four weeks' time for appeal. Instead of honouring the judgment, KCR ridiculed the entire judiciary by holding a review meeting with the same VCs," he said. Shockingly, he said, the Deputy Chief Minister and the Health Minister, who must have been sacked for leakage of Eamcet-2 question paper, were present in the same meeting. "This is an insult to democracy and the very spirit of Constitution," he said. Sudhakar Reddy said that the Eamcet paper leak case was bigger than Vyapam scam.