Ex-Minister Narayana gets bail in question paper leak case

Chittoor: A court in Chittoor town on Wednesday granted bail to former minister P Narayana in the 10th class question paper leak case.

The Chittoor police have arrested Narayana and presented him before Chittoor Fourth Additional Magistrate court at 3.30 am on Wednesday. The Judge after hearing the versions from the police and the accused Narayana, granted bail to Narayana with a condition of presenting Rs 1 lakh as security and surety from two persons. The judge has also rejected the appeal of police to allow Narayana for police remand. It is learnt that the police have failed to produce the required evidences for arresting Narayana.

Narayana, who was taken into custody by Chittoor police from his residence in Hyderabad on Tuesday, brought him to the town late in the night. He was taken to the district government hospital, where he was medically examined.

The police later produced him before a magistrate, who granted him bail after dismissing the arguments put forth by the police. The magistrate heard the arguments till early Wednesday and granted bail to Narayana, a leader of opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and founder of Narayana Group of Institutions.

Narayana's counsel brought to the notice of the court that he resigned from the post of the chairman of Narayana Group in 2014 and produced evidence in this regard.

His counsel later told reporters that the magistrate was convinced by his argument that Narayana is currently not involved in the functioning of Narayana Group of Institutions. The police failed to make a case for sending the former Minister to judicial custody.

The court directed Narayana to arrange two personal sureties of Rs 1 lakh each by May 18 and ordered his release.

Chittoor police had arrested Narayana in a case registered in Chittoor town in connection with leakage of a question paper of SSC exams. The police had booked a case after Telugu question paper was leaked from an examination centre and circulated in a WhatsApp group. Police had earlier arrested Balagangadhar of Narayana Group in Tirupati in connection with the same case.

Chittoor District SP Y Rishant Reddy had told reporters that Narayana has been taken into custody based on the investigation conducted so far in the case registered in Chittoor I Town police station.

He said the case was registered based on a complaint by the District Educational Officer (DEO) about the circulation of a Telugu language question paper on April 27. The SP revealed that a total of seven persons have been taken into custody so far in this case.

The SP said Narayana was arrested as per rules and on the basis of technical evidence gathered and the details collected from other accused. The opposition TDP had condemned Narayana's arrest and termed it as political vendetta by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government. TDP leaders P Nani, Hemalatha, Balaji, Shanmugam, Sugunamma, and others have condemned the arrest of Narayana and raised slogans against Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.