‘Solved paper’ in WhatsApp chat: STF arrests 3

LUCKNOW:UP Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday arrested three persons, including a teacher of an inter college, after the recovery of solved question papers from the WhatsApp chat of an inter college teacher in Balia district, nearly 10 hours before the start of mathematics paper of UP Board’s high school examination on Tuesday.

STF officials said they said had picked up three more people, including two coaching centre operators, on Tuesday afternoon for interrogations and further raids were on in the matter.

The UP Board authorities, however, stated that the decision whether to cancel the paper will be done only after getting detailed report from the STF.

Additional superintendent of police (ASP) of STF Vishal Vikram Singh said the arrested persons included Ajay Yadav, a teacher in Shivji Inter College of Balia. He said two others were identified as Rajnish Yadav, Class 12 student of the same college, and Rakesh Kumar, a pass out from the same college. He said three others who had been detained were still being questioned over their involvement.

The ASP said the Class 10 mathematics paper of UP Board was scheduled to be held in the morning shift (8 and 11.15 am) on February 25 but the arrested accused had solved question papers on their WhatsApp chat at around 10.24 pm on Monday.

He said the recovered solved question papers were being matched with the original question papers and detailed report will be sent to the board authorities. He said the STF are carrying out raids on the basis of information extracted from the arrested persons and more arrests are likely.

POLICE SAID THE STF WAS CARRYING OUT RAIDS ON THE BASIS OF INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE ARRESTED PERSONS AND MORE ARRESTS WERE LIKELY

He said the initial probe suggested that a nexus of teachers and outsiders were involved in leaking the question papers around 10 hours before examination. He, however, said the attempt for paper leak was foiled before it could be shared further.

Talking over phone, secretary of UP Board, Neena Srivastava said the STF was probing the entire matter. “We are waiting for the STF report and decision over the paper cancellation will be taken by senior authorities after going through the report findings,” she added.

Earlier, similar apprehension were raised over leak of English question papers of Class 10 that was scheduled in the morning shift on February 22 but the board authorities have ruled it out after carrying out investigation in the matter.