NEET 'scam': I-T dept raids properties of Congress leaders

BENGALURU: Income-tax department officials conducted raids on Thursday at educational institutions owned by former deputy chief minister G Parameshwara and former Union minister RL Jalappa, both from Congress, in connection with a multi-crore tax evasion case linked to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) held for medical and dental college admissions this year.
The raids were conducted even as the opposition Congress and JD(S) were gearing up to attack the ruling BJP over delayed flood relief on the opening day of the three-day winter session.Around 150 officials raided 30 premises at various locations in Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Nelamangala, Kolar and Chikkaballapura districts and some places in Rajasthan, official sources said. Searches will continue on Friday.
While Congress termed the raids a "BJP vendetta'', I-T officials said they initiated action as part of the probe to check alleged irregularities in allocating medical seats under the NEET quota in two medical colleges run by Parameshwara and one by Jalappa. "A case of alleged forgery by impersonation and alleged illegal payments made to secure 186 seats by 68 students from Rajasthan was the trigger,'' they added.