School director held for paper leak

 The director of a private school in Bihar was arrested after a probe team found that he had leaked question papers to select examinees via a mobile messaging app.

The matter came to light after a Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) question paper leak case, quizzed all top officials of the commission, as well as the owners of some coaching institutes and school.

The SIT also recovered mobile phones, incriminating documents and over 40 passbooks following the arrest of 21 people in the case.

“During an analysis of the seized mobile phones, the team found that the accused had collected Rs 6 lakh each from students in exchange for sending question papers through WhatsApp,” said SIT chief Manu Maharaj.

Ramashish Singh, said to be the kingpin, works in Bihar’s science and technology department and is the director of AVN School, one of the centres for the BSSC examination. Singh is a close associate of former RJD MP Sadhu Yadav.

The BSSC had conducted the examinations for the appointment of clerks in the state government.

The first phase of the exams was held on January 29, followed by the second round on February 5.

Over 4.5 lakh candidates appeared for the recruitment test at 750 centres in 38 districts across the state.

Shortly before the examination on February 5, there were rumours about a paper leak, suggesting that questions had gone viral on WhatsApp.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar constituted the SIT on February 6. After it was found, prima facie, that the question papers were leaked, Nitish ordered the cancellation of the BSSC exam on February 8.