Cops to seek alleged mastermind’s custody remand to probe nexus

: The state police will apply for the custody remand of the alleged mastermind Anand Narayan Chauhan alias Mulayam Chauhan and a few others behind the leak of class 12 English paper of the Uttar Pradesh secondary education board, to probe the entire nexus, said police officials privy to the investigation.

The officials said the custody remand of Chauhan and some others would soon be sought from court so that they could be further interrogated about other white collared people linked with them.

The class 12 English examination was cancelled in 24 districts on Wednesday after the paper was leaked. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered stringent action, including invoking the National Security Act against the culprits.

The exam would now be held on April 13, an official statement had said.

A senior police official said Mulayam Chauhan, his brother Brijesh Chauhan, relative Manish Chauhan and his three close associates Vikas Rai, Prashant Rai and Azad Pandey alias Golu Pandey were arrested by Nagra police team of Ballia on Friday. He said Chauhan was alleged to be involved in such activities for the past many years and had deep connections in the education department.

The official said Chauhan’s interrogation was very crucial as the information extracted from him could unveil a widespread nexus involved in paper leak for the past many years.

Notably, 34 accused have been arrested in the matter since Wednesday.

The list includes Ballia district inspector of schools (DIoS) Brajesh Kumar Mishra and three local journalists.

The Ballia district police lodged three separate FIRs at the Ballia City Kotwali, Nagra and Sikandarpur police stations in this regard on Wednesday. Besides, the UP police Special Task Force (STF) has also been roped in to investigate the matter.