Solved papers, 9 handwritten questions: Police try to join dots in CBSE paper leaks

On Monday, as Class XII students took the economics exam, the CBSE received an “unaddressed” envelop with four sheets that had handwritten answers, purportedly to questions from the paper, an FIR lodged with the Delhi Police Crime Branch Tuesday states.
According to sources, two cases have been registered with the Crime Branch on the basis of complaints received from the CBSE. In the first case, the Board received a complaint through fax on March 23, alleging that a tutor at Rajinder Nagar was involved in the paper leak. It also named two schools in Rajinder Nagar. Later, the CBSE approached the Crime Branch with another complaint on March 26 evening. A case was lodged under IPC sections 406, 420 and 120B.

The FIR, on the “complaint regarding anti-social elements”, read: “On March 26, the CBSE Academic Unit at Rouse Avenue received an unaddressed envelope containing copies of four sheets of handwritten answers of the economics paper, indicating that the question paper had been leaked and circulated on WhatsApp groups.” The envelope also had four mobile numbers, which officers are now probing.

According to the sources, the Special Investigation Team set up to investigate the case will reach out to both schools and the tutor. Sources said the FIR also names a teacher running a coaching institute in Rajinder Nagar. Delhi Police has split the SIT into two teams — each led by a DCP-level officer. Four ACPs and five inspectors have also been selected for the probe.

An officer said CBSE officials may be questioned and the locations where question papers are kept checked. “It is a pan-India investigation. Prima facie the leak appears to be from Delhi, but there is a possibility of involvement of people from other states,” said the officer. When contacted, Delhi Police chief spokesperson Dependra Pathak said, “The investigation requires a broad inquiry and the Crime Branch will do it professionally.”

Read | CBSE retest: Students, parents furious — Only a few at fault, why punish everyone?

Businessman on radar

Meanwhile, several teams of the Crime Branch are looking for a west Delhi-based businessman, who has emerged as a suspect in the Class X mathematics paper leak. The Delhi Police on Tuesday evening received a call from a tutor, who claimed some of his students had received a handwritten page with math questions.

A senior officer said a team from Punjabi Bagh rushed to Madipur, where the tutor runs a coaching centre. They found the handwritten paper had “nine questions”. “Senior officials were informed and police started questioning students, who told them they got the paper from a friend,” the officer said.

Wednesday’s paper, officers said, had all nine questions. “Officers at the police headquarters were informed. After questioning eight people, police reached a dead end as the businessman named by some people was found to be missing, with his phone switched off,” an officer said. The information has been handed to the Crime Branch SIT.
News Source (Indian Express)