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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Trust Reset

As the recent protests over the NEET paper leak showed, India’s examination system has reached a point where incremental repairs are no longer enough. The appointment of a high-powered task force on examination reforms, headed by technology pioneer Nandan Nilekani, is therefore not merely an administrative response to the NEET-UG paper leak crisis but a concrete attempt to rebuild confidence in one of the country’s most important public institutions. Examinations are gateways to opportunity,...

Trust Reset

As the recent protests over the NEET paper leak showed, India’s examination system has reached a point where incremental repairs are no longer enough. The appointment of a high-powered task force on examination reforms, headed by technology pioneer Nandan Nilekani, is therefore not merely an administrative response to the NEET-UG paper leak crisis but a concrete attempt to rebuild confidence in one of the country’s most important public institutions. Examinations are gateways to opportunity, social mobility and professional ambition. For millions of students across the country, a competitive examination represents years of sacrifice by families and the possibility of a better future. When question papers leak repeatedly, evaluation systems fail or allegations of manipulation emerge, the resulting damage strikes at the idea of fairness itself. The crisis surrounding NEET-UG exposed uncomfortable vulnerabilities in the country’s examination infrastructure. The resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the subsequent appointment of Pralhad Joshi with additional charge of the ministry underlined the political seriousness of the issue. But political accountability alone cannot fix a structural problem. That is why the composition of the new task force is a move on the right direction. It brings together expertise from technology, space research, intelligence, education administration and logistics. Nilekani’s appointment is particularly significant. The former Infosys chief executive and architect of Aadhaar has experience in building large-scale digital public infrastructure involving hundreds of millions of citizens. The Aadhaar project itself was born out of a similar challenge: how to create a reliable identity system in a country where leakages and duplication weakened welfare delivery. India’s examination system now requires the same kind of thinking. The committee’s mandate to examine the entire examination lifecycle - from question paper creation and distribution to candidate verification, evaluation and results - is the right approach. The problem lies in multiple weak points where human intervention, poor security protocols and outdated processes can create opportunities for malpractice. Technology will inevitably be central to the solution. Artificial intelligence can help detect unusual patterns, blockchain-based verification can strengthen record security and better data systems can improve transparency. But a secure examination system requires independent oversight, professional management, clear accountability and swift punishment for wrongdoing. India’s National Testing Agency was created to bring efficiency and standardisation to public examinations. Its credibility must now be restored through reforms that are visible and trusted by students. The Nilekani task force has been given the difficult job of repairing that trust. The government has chosen a committee led by people with experience of managing complex national systems. It is a sensible first step. The real test will now be whether its recommendations translate into action.

SIT exposes dark underworld of lust, greed

Godman sexually exploited vulnerable women with ‘divine power and death’ threat

Mumbai: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the sprawling criminal empire of self-styled godman Ashok Kharat held its first press conference on Tuesday signalling a decisive turn in a case that has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra.


Speaking from the center of the investigation, SIT Chief and IPS officer Tejaswi Satpute broke the silence to detail a harrowing pattern of sexual exploitation, massive financial fraud, and the calculated manipulation of faith.


The investigation has now officially expanded to encompass twelve separate criminal cases across the Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts, with the SIT directly managing nine of the most severe charges. This specialized unit, comprised of twenty-four handpicked officers including two Deputy Superintendents and a battery of inspectors, is working against a strict timeline to dismantle what Satpute described as a deeply entrenched “ecosystem” of exploitation.


The sheer scale of the allegations against Kharat, 67, is unprecedented. Of the nine cases currently under SIT jurisdiction, eight involve grave charges of sexual assault against women who sought spiritual guidance but were met with systematic abuse. The remaining cases involve a complex web of cheating, violations of the Anti-Superstition Act, and illegal money lending practices under the 2014 Act.


Theatrical Exploitation

Investigators revealed that the accused would drugged victims with sedative-laced “holy water” or use hypnosis before carrying out assaults, often recording the acts to ensure the victims’ silence through blackmail. Central to Kharat’s modus operandi was the theatrical exploitation of human fear and religious devotion.


During the briefing, Satpute explained how the accused utilised sleight of hand in the deliberate darkness of the temple premises to simulate supernatural occurrences. He used props such as plastic snakes, tiger skins, and enchanted stones to convince followers of his divine powers. By instilling a paralyzing fear of impending family deaths or social ruin, he coerced victims into surrendering both their bodies and their life savings. The SIT has already interviewed over thirty witnesses whose testimonies paint a portrait of a man who viewed the spiritual vulnerability of others as a lucrative business model.


Bank Accounts

Preliminary findings have uncovered a staggering network of over one hundred and thirty bank accounts linked to Kharat and his associates, through which transactions exceeding sixty-three crore rupees were funnelled. Many of these accounts were allegedly opened in the names of unsuspecting individuals or family members of high-profile associates to mask the origin of the funds.


Predatory Loan

Reports suggest that much of this real estate was acquired through predatory loan agreements and the fraudulent seizure of ancestral lands from local farmers.


The investigation is also pivoting toward the influential network that allowed Kharat to operate with impunity for years. Satpute addressed growing public and political speculation regarding Kharat’s ties to high-ranking officials and politicians, whose photographs with the accused have circulated widely on social media. She clarified that the SIT is meticulously following every lead provided by complainants and witnesses to determine if these figures played a role in facilitating his crimes or shielding him from legal consequences.


The “ecosystem” that sustained this fraudulent godman is being treated as a secondary but vital layer of the criminal inquiry, with Satpute asserting that no one found to be a co-conspirator will be spared from legal action.


The SIT aims to submit a comprehensive charge sheet within the next 40 days, as they continue to seek extended custody of Kharat to uncover the full extent of his dark legacy.


Hundreds of web links removed
Tejaswi Satpute also urged citizens to delete any sensitive videos of the victims from their mobile devices and warned media outlets against speculative “media trials” that could jeopardise a fair verdict. The SIT has already removed 4,650 web links for revealing identity of the victims and shut down 451 social media handles for repeatedly updating the videos of victims. Also, two cases too have been filed for revealing the identity of the victims wherein six persons have already been arrested, Satpute said.

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