Delhi Police arrest school principal in CBSE class 12 economics paper leak case

CBSE had to cancel the class 12 economics exam in March this year and conduct it again after almost a month following reports of the question paper getting leaked.

Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested the principal of Mother Khazani Convent School, Mungeshpur, in connection with the CBSE class 12 economics paper leak. The board had to conduct the examination almost a month after it was cancelled following reports of the question paper getting leaked leading to a nationwide protest and outrage.

A photo of Delhi’s Mother Khazani Convent School. The principal and two teachers of the school have been arrested in connection with the CBSE class 12 economics paper leak case. (Burhaan Kinu/HT Photp)

In April, two teachers of the same school were arrested for their involvement in the Class 12 economics paper leak, police said, adding that they are likely to file a chargesheet in the case soon.

Confirming the arrest, deputy commissioner of police (crime), GR Naik, said that a crime branch team arrested Praveen Kumar Dagar in connection with the paper leak. He maintained that they had earlier arrested two teachers – Rishabh Antil and Rohit Vats -- from the same school for allegedly leaking the CBSE Economics examination question. At that time too, the principal was questioned.

The chairman of the school, Chaudhary Swarup Singh, said, “The principal had taken anticipatory bail two months ago. On Wednesday, he was questioned by the crime branch. We have already suspended all the three teachers but as of now, the role of the principal in the leak has not been confirmed.”

Within a week of the leak in April, the crime branch had questioned over 150 school teachers, various coaching centre tutors and students. Over 50 phones were seized and at least a dozen WhatsApp groups were identified for suspicious involvements in the leak.

The crime branch had also scanned around 1000 CBSE centres in Delhi in a bid to bust the question paper leakage cartel. Banks, in which the board keeps its question papers, were also scanned.