II PU paper leak: CID hunts for key suspect; results likely to be delayed

Bengaluru, Apr 4: After identifying a few people, including a couple of teachers, as suspects in the II PU Chemistry question paper leak, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has set out on a massive manhunt for the prime suspect.

The CID sleuths have also narrowed down on a few government school teachers, engineers of Public Works Department and officials from DPUE who could be part of the racket.

However, their links could be established only after the arrest of the suspected kingpin — identified as Kiran, an LIC agent from Tumakuru, said a senior police officer. The prime suspect was identified after the CID sleuths questioned the students who received the leaked paper on WhatsApp.

The suspect is on the run and has even switched off his mobile phone, but a team is constantly monitoring his movements and will nab him soon, a CID officer said. He, however, refused to divulge more details about the suspect.

The probe so far has revealed that several lakhs rupees had exchanged hands, the officer said. CID officials have questioned over 100 suspects with alleged links to the re-exam paper leak. The police have also questioned the 40 DPUE officials who were suspended after the March 31 incident.

Results may be delayed

Meanwhile, a possible delay in the announcement of results of II PUC is expected as the Department of Pre-University Education is bogged down with worries of lecturers boycott of evaluation. Further, the evaluators have to be relieved midway through the evaluation work to allow them to join their examination centres to conduct the chemistry paper re-examination on April 12.

The evaluation of SSLC examination answer scripts is also likely to be hit as the Karnataka State High School Assistant Masters' Association after a meeting on Sunday decided to boycott evaluation

Meanwhile, Pre-University students who on Sunday wrote the offline Joint Entrance Examination (main) for entrance in undergraduate engineering programs at NITs, IIITs and other centrally funded technical institutions found the examination moderately tough.