CBSE papers leak: Principal of Bawana school arrested

Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested the principal of Mother Khazani Convent School in Bawana in connection with the CBSE papers leak case, a senior police officer said.

Two teachers of the school were arrested earlier for their alleged involvement in leaking the question papers.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) G Ram Gopal Naik confirmed the arrest of Praveen Kumar Jha, the principal of the school, whose affiliation was cancelled by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

“It was a formal arrest. Since he is on anticipatory bail, we arrested him and later let off. It was found that he was aware about his school’s two teachers leaking papers to ensure that the school’s results are good,” said another officer.

Police had said that at least two modules were involved in leaking the CBSE question papers. Besides the Class 12 economics paper, the mathematics paper of Class 10 had also surfaced online before the scheduled examination.

Police busted the module involved in leaking Class 10 question paper in Una town in Himachal Pradesh in April and arrested six people including a woman.

In the Bawana module, three men, including two teachers of the private school, were involved.

The teachers - Rishabh and Rohit - had taken photographs of the economics paper and sent it to Tauqeer, who gives private tuition. Tauqeer circulated the paper among his students about an hour before the examination commenced, police had said, adding, he had received the paper via WhatsApp from Rishabh and Rohit.

In April, police had also questioned K S Rana, who was on duty at the Bawana centre on the day of the economics exam on March 26. Rana was suspended over laxity in supervising the centre and an inquiry was ordered, the HRD Ministry said on April 1.

The Delhi Police had registered two cases in connection with the paper leak. The first case related to the leak of economics paper was registered on March 27, while the other pertaining to the leak of mathematics paper was filed on March 28.

The exams for Class 10 mathematics and Class 12 economics papers were held on March 28 and March 26 respectively.

After reports of the leak surfaced on March 28, the CBSE had announced it would re-conduct the economics exam on April 25.

The board had decided against holding a re-examination for mathematics, saying the examination was “largely an internal segment” of the school education system.

The results for Class 12 and 10 boards were announced on May 26 and 29 respectively.