40 private academies shut shop in Satara district

PUNE: Altogether 40 private academies offering coaching for defence services exams in Satara district have shut shop “temporarily” in the past two weeks following the arrest of a Phaltan-based private academy owner in the army paper leak case.
Investigations by the Thane crime branch sleuths revealed that the arrested suspect, Santosh Shinde, who runs an academy in Satara district, was in constant touch with owners of other coaching centres in the district.
The investigators are trying to find out whether the academies that have ceased operations were also involved in the racket. A senior police officer, involved in the investigation, told TOI, “We have found that Shinde was in constant touch with owners of other academies. We strongly suspect that other academies might have got the leaked paper. However, we are yet to reach a final conclusion as our investigation is still in progress.”
Meanwhile, sources from Sainik Welfare Department (SWD) in Satara district confirmed to TOI that about 40 academies from the district alone have ceased operation temporarily.
“After the arrest of Shinde and subsequent development in the paper leak case, about 40 academies have stopped functioning. They have also stopped new admission,” an SWD official said.
“The students of these academies have been told to wait for next few weeks,” the official added. One of the students told TOI, “I had joined a Phaltan-based academy a month ago. I had paid about Rs 20,000 as two months’ fees in advance. Our physical training started a month ago. After the paper leak case, we were instructed not to talk. Last week, the academy officials told us to stop coming for a temporary period. Now, I am left with no option but to wait for a call from the academy.”
Another aspirant said, “Two months ago, I joined the academy but now I am at home as the academy’s administrators told me to take leave for some weeks. They have not told us any reason for this decision. But we came to know many academies have stopped functioning for the time being for the paper leak case.”
Sources from the Maharashtra Sainik Welfare Department feel the government should appoint a dedicated agency to keep a tab on the activities of these academies.
“This is not the first time that the involvement of a private academy in paper leak case has surfaced. In the past, too, they were involved in illegal activities,” the sources said.
Sources also pointed out that most of these academies are run by ex-servicemen, hence authorities have a soft corner for them.
The investigators have said that involvement of any senior army officer was yet to surface in the case. However, army sources told TOI that the crime branch sleuths want to question some army officers in this regard.