The Bharatiya Janata Party's Telangana President Bandi Sanjay Kumar has been arrested by state police in connection with an alleged leak of SSC (Secondary School Certificate) examination question papers.
The SSC question paper for Hindi examination had reportedly leaked on Tuesday, just minutes after the examination commenced. A day earlier, the SSC question paper for the Telugu examination had also allegedly leaked.
Sanjay Kumar was first detained in connection with the second alleged paper leak because the accused in the case– an invigilator at an examination center– was allegedly found to have been in contact with him. The ruling party of Telangana– Bharat Rashtra Samithi– had accused the BJP president of being linked to the leak before Telangana Police detained him at Karimnagar. Photographs of the prime accused and Kumar were also circulating on social media when the arrest took place.
BRS MLA P Sudarshan Reddy claimed that the leaked question paper (of Hindi examination) reached the Whatsapp inbox of Sanjay Kumar. "Why did the accused who leaked the question paper send its copy to Bandi Sanjay's Whatsapp?" he asked in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The SSC examination is one of the most important exams for students in Telangana, with around 5 lakh candidates appearing for it each year. The question paper leak has caused widespread outrage and concern among students and their families. The Telangana government has promised strict action against those responsible for the leak.
Sanjay Kumar's arrest has also caused a political storm, with the BJP accusing the ruling party of trying to implicate its leaders in false cases. The BJP has demanded a thorough investigation into the matter and accused the Telangana government of trying to divert attention from other pressing issues.
The BJP president has been taken to the Wardhannapet Police Station in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri after his midnight detention. His arrest has not been recorded until Wednesday.
This incident is not the first of its kind in Telangana, with similar incidents of question paper leaks occurring in the past. The government has promised to take strict action to prevent such incidents in the future and ensure that students can take their exams without any fear or apprehension.
Meanwhile in Assam Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on his visit to Assam vehemently criticized the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government over recent HSLC paper leak incidents in the state.
Addressing the gathering at the AAP’s first mega political conclave in Guwahati on Sunday, CM Kejriwal said, “How Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government will function in the state where there are incidents of question paper leak? I have been running the Delhi government for last years; Bhagwant Mann is running the government in Punjab since past one year, there are no such paper leak incidents in these two states.”
