Paper leak: SC to examine invoking KCOC Act

 The Supreme Court has agreed to examine if stringent provisions of the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act can be invoked against over a dozen accused in the state PU examination question paper leak case of 2016.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha admitted for consideration a plea by the Karnataka government challenging the bail granted to an accused.

The court issued notice to Anil Kumar U R, a school teacher, who was accused of collecting money from the parents of the students, and thereby aiding and abetting unlawful activities of procuring and distributing the leaked question papers.

High court stay

The bench also agreed to consider if the KCOC Act can be slapped against over a dozen accused in the matter as some of them had obtained stay from the high court against invocation of the tough law.

The Karnataka government, represented by state standing counsel V N Raghupathy, filed a special leave petition, challenging the high court's order of August 3, last. The high court had granted bail to Anil Kumar, after noting the prosecution did not prima facie disclose any direct involvement of the accused in the case.

The high court had also said there was no apprehension of Anil Kumar running away from the investigation, as he was working as a permanent physical education teacher at Poornapragna School in Sadashivanagar.