UP Board Class 12 English exam paper leak 'mastermind' held

BALLIA: Police here has claimed to have solved the Uttar Pradesh state board class 12 English paper leak case with the arrest on Sunday of the alleged master mind of the scam. Nirbhay Narayan Singh, the manager of a private Inter College, leaked the paper, Ballia Police said in a statement. "Nirbhay Narayan Singh, the manager of Maharaji Devi Smarak Inter College, along with one Rajeev Prajapati, leaked the question paper kept in the college," read the statement.

"The leaked question paper was sent to an English teacher by Prajapati. The English teacher solved the paper and handed it to Nirbhay Narayan Singh," it said. Prajapati, along with teacher who solved the paper, had been arrested earlier. Singh sold the solved paper for Rs 25,000-30,000 each, police said. "Singh also shared the solved copy to other people using popular messaging application for money. “The findings have been corroborated using digital forensics of Nirbhay Narayan's phone and his bank transactions," police said.

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So far 46 people have been arrested in connection with the case, including three journalists and the Ballia District Inspector of Schools. Three FIRs under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the IT Act till now have been lodged at different police stations of Ballia in connection with the case.

The paper was leaked on Wednesday leading to the cancellation of the exam in 24 districts, including Ballia. The exam will now be held on April 13, officials had announced earlier. Ballia district located in the easternmost part of UP was said to be the epicentre of the paper leak scam, officials had earlier said. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed a Special Task Force (STF) of UP police to investigate the matter. He has also asked officials to book those found involved in the matter under the National Security Act.