HYDERABAD: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) has registered a case against a junior assistant and others in connection with the leak of exam papers of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), which were allegedly circulated to students across the state via WhatsApp. The question papers reportedly reached students of Agricultural Colleges in Warangal, Jagtial, Palem, Adilabad, Rajendranagar, Sircilla and Aswaraopet.
Complainant Dr Gollapalli Eswara Chandra Vidya Sagar stated that the issue first surfaced at the Warangal college. It later emerged that the papers had been leaked from the Agricultural College at Warangal and forwarded to in-service students of affiliated colleges through WhatsApp, with allegations that a staff member was bribed.
Following the incident, PJTSAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Aldas Janaiah and Dean of Agriculture Dr K Jhansi Rani inspected Agricultural College, Jagtial, on December 24. Examination hall CCTV footage reportedly showed M Ramesh engaging in unfair means.
The university later constituted an inquiry committee. During questioning, M Ramesh, an in-service student (AEO) and other in-service students of the 3rd year BSc (Ag) revealed that the question papers had been sourced through WhatsApp from students of other affiliated colleges.
Student A Jyothi admitted that she accepted money from Shalini to share the 3rd year first semester papers. Probe findings showed that Jyothi and others had received the leaked papers via WhatsApp from J Karthik, junior assistant in the examination section at Agricultural College, Warangal.
Acting on Shalini’s statement, officials suspect that Jyothi circulated the papers to in-service students (AEOs) at colleges in Warangal, Jagtial, Palem, Adilabad, Rajendranagar, Sircilla and Aswaraopet. She also confessed to handing over the collected cash to Karthik, whose bank account reflected substantial cash transactions.
When questioned, the junior assistant reportedly admitted to clicking photographs of the question papers on his mobile phone while photocopying them and forwarding the images to Jyothi through WhatsApp in exchange for money. He further alleged that Srikanth, AEO of Agricultural College, Aswaraopet, now serving as an AEO in the department of agriculture, had pressured him to leak the papers.
A case has been registered and further investigation is on.