Seven university teachers arrested (3)

(ANSA) - Florence, September 25 - Seven university teachers were arrested by Florence finance police on Monday in relation to a probe into the alleged rigging of exams, sources said Monday. Another 22 people have been barred from holding academic positions for 12 months in relation to the probe and 59 people are under investigation in total, including two-time cabinet minister Augusto Fantozzi, the sources said.
    The probe was triggered by an alleged attempt by some teachers to persuade a researcher who was a candidate in an exam to qualify as a tax-law teacher to withdraw the bid in favour of a less qualified candidate.
    The first researcher was allegedly promised a pass in the next exam.
    Fantozzi, 77, served as economy and finance minister in the 1995-'96 Lamberto Dini government.
    He went on to serve as foreign-trade minister for Romano Prodi's 1996-98 administration.
    The seven arrested teachers were placed under house arrest.
    They are: Fabrizio Amatucci, of Naples' Federico II University; Giuseppe Maria Cipolla, of the University of Cassino; Adriano di Pietro of Bologna University; Alessandro Giovannini of the University of Siena; Valerio Ficari of the University of Rome 2; Giuseppe Zizzo of the Carlo Cattaneo University of Castellanza in Varese; and Guglielmo Fransoni of the University of Foggia.