Bengaluru, Sep 16: It's now official. It was not just the Chemistry question paper, but all the six papers of the second Pre-University (PU) examinations held in March-April 2016 were leaked at least two days in advance.
“Evidence has established that the Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Kannada and English papers were leaked on March 9, two days before the start of the second PU?examinations on March 11. All these are mentioned in the charge sheet, which will be filed before the special Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act court by September 30,” a senior police officer told DH.
“Several students obtained question papers in advance. One student received the Chemistry paper through WhatsApp,” the officer said.
“He informed the then PU?Board director about it. Thus, the Chemistry paper leak came to light,” the officer explained.
Question papers were leaked from the Hangal sub-treasury in Haveri district. The kingpin of the racket, Shivakumaraiah, his nephew Kumaraswamy and Hangal sub-treasury second division assistant Santosh Parshuram Agasimani had leaked the papers.
“Kumaraswamy contacted Agasimani at Shivakumaraiah's behest. Agasimani had the strongroom keys where the question papers were stored. He opened the room and let Kumaraswamy in. Kumaraswamy cut open the question paper packets and took out a copy of each of the six subjects. He took pictures of the papers on his camera phone and later inserted them back into the packets. The three sold the core subject papers for Rs 1 lakh each. They charged Rs 25,000 for language papers,” the officer said.
There are no evidences against Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil and former ministers C M Udasi and M P Renukacharya's involvement. However, the police suspect the involvement of politicians in the paper leaks in the past for the benefit of their children and grandchildren. The police suspect the involvement of private tutors, too. There are, however, no evidences, the officer said.
Established racketeer
Kingpin Shivakumaraiah, a former schoolteacher, is a notorious rackteer involved in leaking question paper leaks. Cases have been registered against him for leaking papers in the Nandini Layout (2014), New Extension Police Station, Tumakuru (2013), Gubbi (2011), Malleswaram (2009), Vijayanagar, Bengaluru (2008) and Chandra Layout (2008) police stations. For the first time, the CID has established that he had leaked the papers in all the five cases from the Hangal sub-treasury.
The Malleswaram police had registered a case under IPC Sections 418 (cheating with knowledge), 420 (cheating), 201 (destruction of evidences or giving false information), 381 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master) 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and Sections 115 and 23 of the Karnataka Education Act.
The complaint was lodged after the Chemistry paper leak came to light on March 21, 2016. The police have booked all the 18 persons arrested under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act. The suspects have confessed to their involvement. Considering the student beneficiaries' age and their future, the police have not named them as accused but have made witnesses in the case.
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