Judicial magistrate (first class) AK Mandavgade on Tuesday remanded University of Pune’s (UoP) assistant registrar MS Gaikwad (53) of Sus Road in police custody till Saturday.

The Chatuhshrungi police had arrested Gaikwad and produced him in the court on Tuesday. They also arrested section officer of the administration department RH Attar of Sangamner.

The university had registered a First Information Report (FIR) with the Chatuhshrungi police on Monday in connection with the recruitment examination for class III and class IV non-teaching posts on February 14.

The university had suspended Gaikwad and Attar after the latter confessed to committing the irregularity at the behest of Gaikwad.

Public prosecutor Harichandra Doifode argued in the court that the merit list displayed on the university’s website on February 20 showed that the suspect had increased the marks of nine candidates in their written test.

Of the nine, three candidates are wards of university employees and the remaining are related to a Sangamner college. Vice-chancellor Narendra Jadhav said he had ordered registrar Manik Jadhav to lodge the FIR.

Defence counsel Chintamani Ghate argued in the court that Gaikwad need not be sent to police custody since the university and police have all the documents related to the case.

Police sub-inspector SAS Sayyed said, “We suspect the involvement of some other persons in this case. Hence, we need Gaikwad’s custody,” the police said.

DNA CorrespondentUoP’s asst registrar sent to police custody/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication