WARANGAL: A day after the SSC Telugu question paper was leaked, the Hindi question paper also found its way into WhatsApp groups on Tuesday. According to the police, a boy took a photo of the question paper to assist a friend. However, when he shared the paper in a WhatsApp group, former journalist B Prasanth, another suspect, spread it to a media group with the alleged intention of sabotaging the entire examination system.Sent to Bandi at 11.24 am
The police said Prasanth even circulated a false message that the paper had been leaked, causing panic among parents. Later, he shared the paper with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State unit president Bandi Sanjay Kumar via WhatsApp at 11.24 am. Warangal Commissioner of Police (CP) AV Ranganath informed reporters that three out of four suspects in the case have been arrested.
According to CP Ranganath, a 16-year-old boy photocopied the Hindi question paper inside the Zila Parishad High School examination centre in Kamalapur village located in Hanamkonda district. He then sent the photo on WhatsApp to assist his friend. The boy initially requested the student taking the examination to share the paper, but when refused, took photos of the paper at 9.40 am.
At 9.59 am, he forwarded the paper to M Shiva Ganesh, 18, who then sent it to the ‘2019-20 SSC’ WhatsApp group. The paper was later forwarded to G Mahesh, a former journalist, by another accused.
Mahesh, in turn, forwarded it to B Prasanth, who used to work for a vernacular news channel, and then to a journalist WhatsApp group at 11.19 am. The question paper subsequently went viral on social media. The CP also stated that Prasanth shared the question paper with Sanjay Kumar at 11.24 am.
“Prashanth prepared a message as a ‘breaking news’ stating that the Hindi question paper was leaked at 9.30 am and created panic among students and parents,” the police said, adding that he distorted the facts to create panic among the parents.
Ranganath clarified that if the paper had come out before the examination had begun, it would be considered a paper leak. However, in this instance, the paper was shared on WhatsApp groups only after the examination had started, and thus it was not a case of paper leak, he stated.
Upon discovering the question paper on WhatsApp, Prashant took advantage of the situation and forwarded the message to multiple individuals. Within two hours, he made 142 phone calls, according to the CP. The police have arrested the minor boy, Prashanth, and a student who took the exam. However, they are still searching for another accused, Mahesh.
BJP playing with lives of students: Sabitha
Education Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy has accused the BJP of attempting to tarnish the image of the KCR-led government by creating panic over the recent exam paper leak. She stated that the BJP should not forget that their actions were putting the lives of approximately five lakh people at risk. She emphasised that selfish political reasons should not interfere with the fair and safe conduct of examinations.