The CBSE paper leak case seems to be getting murkier with the Jharkhand Police asserting that they have evidence that the Class X Math paper was also leaked
within the State. Nine minors among 12 people were arrested in the case.
The claims by the Jharkhand Police may force the Centre to reconsider a re-examination of Class X Maths paper across the country instead of only in Delhi-NCR and Haryana. On Friday, HRD Ministry had claimed that leak, if any, was confined to Delhi-NCR and Haryana.
Notably, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed by Jharkhand Police to probe the leak. According to sources, the Jharkhand Police has begun investigations and is coordinating with the neighbouring Bihar Police as two of the accused were arrested from Patna, while 12 people, including students, were arrested from Chatra, police said.
“We are very busy in finalising the relevant documents which are to be sent to Patna police at earliest as paper was first leaked in Patna from where it was shared to other parts of the State,” police sources said.
The Jharkhand Police has arrested three adults and nine minors in Chatra. According to Chatra Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Variar, police gathered some vital information confirming that paper was leaked via WhatsApp group.
“Three people have been arrested from a coaching centre called ‘Study Vision’ which reportedly leaked the question papers. Charges have been filed against them under the relevant section of the IPC,” Variar said.
Among the three arrested, one is a teacher and other two — Pankaj Singh and Satish Pandey — are directors of the academy, Variar said, adding that in total 12 have been arrested in the CBSE paper leak matter till now.
According to Variar, Maths paper was provided to a minor student in Chatra by two students from Patna through WhatsApp.
HRD Ministry School Education Secretary Anil Swarup had on Friday said the final decision to conduct re-test of Class X Maths paper would be decided in next 15 days after considering further findings in the matter.
Swarup said the re-examination would be held in July and it would be only for Delhi and Haryana students.
He maintained that the idea behind the decision was to not affect the schedule of about 16 lakh students who appeared for Class X examination.
Chatra Superintendent of Police Akhilesh B Verior informed media persons at a Press conference on Saturday that paper was sold to students in Chatra for Rs 500 to Rs 5000 and also assured to help them in cheating during the exams.
The SP said that 9 juveniles were arrested in the case and were sent to observation home at Hazaribagh.
According to Verior, Chatra based coaching centre Study Vision’s manager and ABVP district coordinator Satish Pandey, along with two other, have been sent to jail.
“He also prepared the answer papers and passed it on to the students during examination. When cheating started in the exam four students were caught by the principal of JNV, Chatra and he further registered an FIR. We then formed an SIT and raided several locations in Jharkhand and Bihar. Students were interrogated and two others Pankaj Singh and Hamesh were arrested, who accepted their crime,” said the SP, adding that investigation was still on to nab the real culprits, who leaked the papers.