CUTTACK: A data entry operator who copied question papers of the Special Odisha Teacher Eligibility Test (OTET) from the laptop of the Board of Secondary Education (BSE)’s vice-president was among six persons arrested by the Crime Branch of Odisha Police on Wednesday.
Two members of a teachers’ association were held for their complicity in the question paper leak.
DG of Crime Branch Vinaytosh Mishra informed mediapersons that during investigation, police found Jitan Moharana, the data entry operator of BSE, had unlawfully accessed the laptop of BSE vice-president and obtained the Special OTET question papers through a pen drive.
He then shared the same with working president of State Ex-cadre Teachers’ Association Bijay Mishra and president of its Koraput unit Sanatan Bisoi. The duo then sold the question papers to three brokers - Ramjee Prasad Gupta, Ajay Sahoo and Jayant Rout.
Basing on the complaint of BSE establishment officer Bulbul Behera, a case was registered on July 20 following the question leak and investigation undertaken under the supervision of a DIG-rank officer.
“The accused sold the question papers to teachers who had failed the last Special OTET exam through the three brokers,” the CB chief said.
Some teachers had not succeeded in the last Special OTET exam and hence, were desperate to qualify the test this year to receive benefits like job regularisation and increment in pay. “Taking advantage of their desperation, the accused hatched a conspiracy to exploit the teachers by selling the leaked question papers,” Mishra said.
The accused received money from these teachers through account transfer and hard cash. The racket had been operational across different districts and indulged in selling leaked question papers for lakhs of rupees, he informed.
Preliminary probe suggests Moharana received`2.50 lakh in his account via a UPI-based payment platform. “Though the accounts of the other accused are under verification, they have deleted all the data from their devices including mobile phones. The seized devices will be sent for forensic examination to avail more evidence,” Mishra said adding, all the accused will be brought on remand for further investigation.
Efforts are on to trace the teachers who had bought the question papers and ascertain if more people are involved in the racket. “Further investigation will trace links of other accused and ascertain details of the money trail which investigating officers have got during the 10 days of probe,” said Mishra.