Exam paper leakage: deal clinched at Vidhana Soudha

• IMRAN GOWHAR

THE HINDU 

The office of the Minister of State for Medical Education at the Vidhana Soudha was used to clinch the deal to secure the leaked chemistry question paper by the Minister’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD), investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has revealed.

The prime accused, Manjunath, during investigation, confessed that he had met the Minister’s OSD, Obalaraju, at the Minister’s office to finalise the deal after he was contacted, sources said.

Sources added that Obalaraju used the office landline phone on March 20 to contact Manjunath, and discuss with him how he would receive the question paper.

Some of the beneficiaries, including a small-screen actor who has been questioned, could be made approvers in the case. Shivakumar, a retired lecturer, who runs a chain of tutorials, is now emerging to be the key person who can lead the investigators to the source of the leak, sources said, adding that the call detail records of Manjunath had led them to Shivakumar, a key accused in the 2012 leak.

Sources said the arrest of Shivakumar could lead them to the officers in the Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE), who may be connected to the leakage. Sources also said that Shivakumar had maintained a cordial relationship with a police officer whose name came up during the lottery scam recently.

The CID officials have also taken in 14 persons, including a few DPUE officials, who were among the 40 suspended after the leakage of the re-exam, for further questioning.

Meanwhile, the three arrested — Obalaraju, Manjunath, and PWD official Rudrappa — were produced before the 7th Additional Metropolitan Magistrate by the CID. The court has extended police custody till April 13.













Shivakumar, a retired lecturer, is now emerging as the key person in the case