Over and above the three leaked papers of the University of Mumbai, the crime branch has found that one more paper had been leaked by a third group that was not connected with the suspects arrested on Tuesday. The MU, however, managed to plug the leak on time and change the paper.
The matter came to light after a peon — arrested for the paper leaks — told investigators that he could not find buyers for a paper as it had already been leaked.
Bharat Singh, a temporary peon, working in the manuscript department of the University, was arrested for leaking the Maths II and Physics II papers from the sealed envelopes. “During interrogation, Singh told us that he had access to another question paper, but when he went to sell it in the market, there were no takers as it had already been leaked. We suspect another peon and a third group to be behind the paper leak,” said a senior crime branch officer, without revealing the subject of the question paper that was leaked.
The MU was alerted about the leak on time. “We are now investigating who leaked the fourth paper. We suspect a completely unrelated third group is behind the same,” the officer said.
So far, the crime branch has busted two groups — one from Karjat, in which professors of Konkan Gyanpeeth College of Engineering procured the Basic Electrical and Electronics Engineering (BEEE) paper through
lab assistants and another one in which MU peons were involved in leaking Maths II and Physics II papers.
When asked how Singh got hold of the question papers from sealed envelopes, a senior crime branch officer said, “Singh told us that he knew that it took around four to five minutes for a seal to completely stick onto an envelope; it is during this time that it can be tampered with and be resealed.”
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Students to stand witness?
Age correspondent
Mumbai, June 6
Crime branch officials on Wednesday said that they would be preparing a list of students who bought the examination papers that were leaked.
According to a senior officer, the crime branch is planning to name those students who directly bought the papers from the main sources as accused in the case, and make other students, who got the leaked papers through sub-channels, as witnesses.
According to the officer, while the papers were posted on Facebook many got them right outside the college for free. We had laid a trap to arrest one of the students who had bought the question paper. But he did not come out of the college even after the examination was over. We later found out that he was caught copying in the examination hall,” the officer said.
In another development, it has come to light that Professor Archana Thakre, 41, a professor with Konkan Gyanpeeth College of Engineering, Karjat, who was assigned the job of setting the Basic Electrical and Electronics Engineering (BEEE) paper, had passed on the job to a lecturer in the college.
“It was dereliction of duty on her part. We are examining whether we can book her under the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices Act at University, Board and other specified acts,” he said.