Karnataka HC upholds conviction of four in Bangalore University exam valuation malpractice case

Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court has upheld the conviction and sentencing of four accused persons in relation to the BE Computer Science examination valuation malpractice case of 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore University. The allegations were that of destroying the original marks list, preparation of duplicate marks list to help the failed students and thus cheating the Bangalore University with the help of forged documents.

The convicts are G Narendra Kumar and Nanda Kumar, who were valuators, AVR Sharma, a failed student, and A Ramachandran, a retired professor and a custodian of examination records. The Halasurugate police had registered on February 20, 1997 and filed the chargesheet. On November 16, 2015, the 6th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate held the accused guilty of criminal conspiracy, cheating, destruction of evidence, forgery and other charges. The accused were sentenced to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of six months with fine of Rs 5,000 each to all the offences.

On July 9, 2021, the 63rd Additional City Civil and Sessions court upheld the said verdict by dismissing their appeal. Challenging this, the four convicts moved the high court contending that there is delay in registration of the FIR and also the Investigation Officer was not examined during the trial.

Justice HP Sandesh noted that there is strong and crucial evidence available against the petitioners on the allegations made against them. “Here is a case (wherein) more than oral evidence is concerned documentary evidence depicts involvement of the petitioners in committing forgery, manipulation and conspiracy. It clearly discloses that there was a meeting of minds in tampering the papers and cheating the University, in order to help the other accused persons. Hence, non-examination of the Investigating Officer is not fatal to the case of the prosecution and I do not find any force in the contention,” the court said.