Raipur: Raipur Police have arrested six people, including a professor, in connection with the alleged leak of a B.Sc. Agriculture Entomology examination paper in Chhattisgarh.
According to a report by The Indian Express, the alleged mastermind, 38-year-old Yogesh Sonkesariya, is a professor at Bharti Agriculture College in Durg. Police said he collected the question papers from the Agricultural College at Jora, Raipur, on August 17 while submitting answer sheets from his college.
Professor Allegedly Took Question Paper Home
Instead of handing over the Entomology paper to his college authorities, Sonkesariya allegedly took it home. Police said Sonkesariya later bought a small endoscope camera, made a tiny hole in the sealed envelope using a needle and used the camera to view and copy around 15 questions from the paper.
A day before the examination, he allegedly sold the paper to three students for ₹11,000. One of them, Ajay Nayak, allegedly shared it with four other students — Tridev Patel, Nitin Pandey, Anuj Minj and Aditya Sahu.
Entomology Exam Cancelled
The second-year B.Sc. Agriculture Entomology examination was cancelled on August 20 after the university received information that questions were circulating before the test, The Indian Express reported.
The examination was scheduled from 10 am to 1 pm at 28 agriculture colleges affiliated with Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV). Around 1,200 students were expected to appear for the examination. The university has announced a re-examination.
Six Arrested Within 36 Hours
According to The Indian Express, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Cyber) Smruthik Rajanala said the accused were arrested within 36 hours of the complaint being received.
Police traced the suspects by examining the leaked paper, screenshots, photographs, messages, social media posts and other digital evidence. They seized ₹11,000 in cash, six mobile phones, a video-recording device, cables, a mobile connector, a needle, a sharp instrument, a notebook and adhesive.
University Changes Exam Security System
Following the leak as per the report, the university changed its examination procedure. The question paper for the next examination was sent by email and could be accessed only through a One-Time Password (OTP) shortly before the exam.
An FIR has been registered under Sections 4, 5 and 10 of the Chhattisgarh Public Examination Act, 2008, and Section 316 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police are continuing to question the arrested accused and are searching for two other suspects who are currently absconding.
