The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses from the Centre and state governments on a PIL seeking directions to confiscate the movable and immovable property of offenders and their family members involved in examination paper leak cases.
A bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe issued notices to the Centre and the states on the petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.
During the hearing, Upadhyay said he was no longer pressing his prayer for measures to ensure time-bound investigations and trials in paper leak cases, following the passage of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which strengthens laws against examination malpractice.
The court fixed September 25 for the next hearing.
The plea, filed through advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey, also sought directions for a comprehensive assessment of the assets of alleged perpetrators and their family members, followed by action under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Benami Transactions Act and Black Money Act.
The petition also sought a direction that sentences for examination paper leaks be served consecutively rather than concurrently to deter such offences. Alternatively, it asked the Law Commission to examine international practices and submit a report on paper leaks within three months.
The plea said repeated failures by authorities to prevent, investigate and prosecute those responsible for paper leaks had resulted in serious violations of students’ fundamental rights under Articles 14, 16, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
It also argued that despite the enactment of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, the law had several shortcomings, including the absence of provisions for time-bound investigations and trials.
Highlighting the impact of paper leaks on students and their families, the plea pointed to mental and physical trauma, loss of educational and employment opportunities, mounting financial burdens from unpaid loans and an increase in student suicides.
(With inputs from PTI)
