ED arrests key official in Rajasthan teachers’ recruitment exam paper leak case
The leak of question paper of the State’s biggest examination for recruitment of teachers, in which over 16 lakh candidates had appeared, had created a flutter in Rajasthan
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has arrested a retired assistant professor, who was appointed the Jaipur district coordinator, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) question paper leak case of 2021. The accused, Pradeep Parashar, was earlier arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan police in January 2022.
Mr. Parashar was produced in the PMLA special court in Jaipur on July 10 and was sent to the ED’s custody for three days. The ED launched investigation in the case on the basis of first information reports and charge-sheets filed by the Rajasthan police under various sections of Indian Penal Code against Mr. Parashar and other related persons.
Also read | Rajasthan govt. sacks State school board chairman in REET paper leak case
The leak of question paper of the State’s biggest examination for recruitment of teachers to the government schools in September 2021, in which over 16 lakh candidates had appeared, had created a flutter in Rajasthan, after which the then Congress government had cancelled the exam. The State government handed over investigation to the SOG, which confirmed that the paper was leaked from the Education Department’s building, Shiksha Sankul, in Jaipur two days before the exam.
The SOG arrested 38 persons, including 14 candidates, and recovered ₹1.16 crore paid for gaining access to the paper. The State government also suspended three senior officers and 13 employees of the Education Department for their suspicious role in failing to prevent cheating during the REET.
Mr. Parashar had appointed an assistant, Ramkripal Meena, for security of papers without any valid order, while giving him unauthorised access to the strong room of Shiksha Sankul. Meena, in connivance with Mr. Parashar, allegedly stole a question paper by opening the envelope of papers and sealing it again in the night of September 24, 2021.
The investigation revealed that Meena later allegedly gave the stolen paper to prime accused Udaram Bishnoi, who in turn tutored the exam candidates with the questions and answers of this paper at seven places across the State after taking money from them.
The ED conducted search operations at a total of 32 premises of accused persons in 2023, resulting in the recovery of incriminating documents and digital records as well as seizure of huge cash. The ED had earlier arrested Ramkripal Meena in the case, against whom a prosecution complaint has been filed in the PMLA special court. The court has since taken cognisance of the complaint.
The REET level I and level II examinations were conducted by the Rajasthan State Board of Secondary Education. Following the question paper leak, the State government also dismissed the Board’s chairman, D.P. Jaroli, and secretary A.K. Sengwa in September 2021.
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