VISAKHAPATNAM: The BSc Mathematics question paper leak of the Andhra University has turned out to be a case of fence eating the crop. It was the principal of Vidyarthi Degree College in Chodavaram who had to use subterfuge to cover up his failure of taking classes.
To ensure that his students pass the exam, the principal, leaked the question paper a day before the exam on March 16, making a maths lecturer and some students party to the offence.
Cracking the case, the III Town police on Monday arrested seven persons-principal K Suresh (43), maths lecturer Murali, college computer operator K Santosh (27) and P Gunaji (20), B Demudu Naidu (20), P Thrinadh (21), Vijaya, all students.
“P Gunaji, a BSc final year student, has a good rapport with the principal. Investigation revealed that maths classes were not properly conducted after a lecturer left the college.
And the students were not happy with the new lecturer Murali. Gunaji approached the principal, asked him to leak the question papers so that students can get better marks.
The principal, who was also the chief superintendent of the exam, along with Murali and the students opened the sealed question paper. He asked the college computer operator to make photo copy of the papers which were circulated by Gunaji and his three friends in WhatsApp groups,” said DCP (Law & Order) Naveen Gulati.
The papers were solved by maths lecturer Murali before the questions, along with the answers, were circulated through WhatsApp.
The case came to the light after the WhatsApp messages reached AU authorities, just an hour before the exam, which was cancelled eventually. But by then, the students had started writing the exam in the respective centres.
Cases have been registered under Sections 4(b) and 8 of the AP Public Examinations (Prevention of Malpractices and Unfair Means) Act-1997.