CID books junior assistant in PJTSAU exam paper leak case
HYDERABAD: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) has registered a case against a junior assistant and others in connection with the alleged leak of examination papers of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), which were circulated to students across the state through WhatsApp.
The question papers reportedly reached students of Agricultural Colleges in Warangal, Jagtial, Palem, Adilabad, Rajendranagar, Sircilla and Aswaraopet.
Leak traced to Warangal college
Complainant Dr Gollapalli Eswara Chandra Vidya Sagar stated that the issue first surfaced at the Agricultural College, Warangal. It later emerged that the papers had allegedly been leaked from the same college and forwarded to in-service students of affiliated colleges through WhatsApp. There were allegations that a staff member was bribed.
Following the incident, PJTSAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Aldas Janaiah and Dean of Agriculture Dr K Jhansi Rani inspected Agricultural College, Jagtial, on December 24. Examination hall CCTV footage reportedly showed M Ramesh engaging in unfair means.
Students admit role, money trail probed
The university constituted an inquiry committee. During questioning, M Ramesh, an in-service student (Agricultural Extension Officer) and other third-year BSc (Agriculture) in-service students said the question papers had been sourced through WhatsApp from students of other affiliated colleges.
Student A Jyothi admitted that she accepted money from Shalini to share the third-year first semester papers. The probe found that Jyothi and others had received the leaked papers via WhatsApp from J Karthik, a junior assistant in the examination section at Agricultural College, Warangal.
Acting on Shalini’s statement, officials suspect that Jyothi circulated the papers to in-service students (Agricultural Extension Officers) at colleges in Warangal, Jagtial, Palem, Adilabad, Rajendranagar, Sircilla and Aswaraopet. She also allegedly handed over the collected cash to Karthik. His bank account reportedly reflected substantial cash transactions.
When questioned, the junior assistant allegedly admitted to clicking photographs of the question papers on his mobile phone while photocopying them and forwarding the images to Jyothi through WhatsApp in exchange for money.
He further alleged that Srikanth, an Agricultural Extension Officer of Agricultural College, Aswaraopet, now serving in the department of agriculture, had pressured him to leak the papers.
A case has been registered and further investigation is under way.
