HC directs SIT probing TSPSC exam paper leak case to file status report

Hyderabad: Justice BollamVijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is investigating the TSPSC AE exam question paper leak, to file a status report on the probe into FIR 64/2023 registered by the Begum Bazar police by April 11. He issued notices to the Principal Secretary (Home), City Commissioner of Police, DCP Central Zone, Secretary, TSPSC and Additional CP crimes (SIT) to file their counter-affidavits.

The judge ruled out a CBI probe into the exam paper leak as he felt that the petitioner Dr Balmuri Venkata Narasinga Rao has not furnished any tangible evidence to show that the investigation done by SIT is a biased. No material is placed before the court showing that the government is trying to give a quietus to the entire case.

Justice Reddy in the order said the court can't take cognisance of the contention of the press meet held by K. Tarakarama Rao, IT and Municipal Administration Minister, on March 18 during which he stated that only two accused (Praveen Kumar, ASO, and AtlaRajashekar, system analyst) are responsible for the question paper leak and gave a clean chit to TSPSC. In this regard also, the petitioner has not placed any material before the court to substantiate his contention, except for press reports. Vivek Tankha, senior counsel from the Supreme Court, appearing for the petitioner, informed the court that the minister on March 18 held a press conference and gave a clean chit to TSPSC by saying that only two persons are behind the question paper leak, even before the SIT could get tangible information on the paper leak during the investigation. Only after filing of the writ petition, the SIT sought police custody of the accused, which clearly shows that the BRS government wants to hush up the entire case.

The counsel also stressed that nearly 20 candidates who appeared in the recent preliminary examination held by TSPSC, got through the exam. All of them belong to the constituency of Rama Rao which also paves the way for many doubts on the role of politicians at high places in the question paper leak.

"In criminal jurisprudence, it is the investigating agency, which gives a clean chit to an accused, after a thorough investigation. In this case it is the BRS government and minister, who gave a clean chit to TSPSC. Such statement by the minister creates many doubts on the investigating agency probing the case. Hence, the senior counsel sought a direction to CBI or any independent agency to probe the question paper leak case as it relates to the future of thousands of candidates who appeared for the competitive exams held by TSPSC. The aspiring candidates are turning towards the court for justice which could repose confidence in them, averred the counsel.

B S Prasad, Advocate-General appearing for the State, informed the court that TSPSC has cancelled the examinations in the larger interest of the public and questioned the petitioners as to how they are affected by the cancellation of the examination. At the first instance, he prayed to court to dismiss the petition as not maintainable on the ground that Narasinga Rao is affiliated to the Congress party and he does not have locus standi to file the petition. This is a politically motivated petition and straight away it should be dismissed. The other two petitioners have also appeared for different posts held by the TSPSC.The SIT, armed with its cyber team, is on the job of unearthing truth from perpetrators, who are behind the question paper leak. So far nine have been arrested in the case. The SIT has even gone to places where the other culprits reside and is eliciting information from them regarding the paper leak. The AG informed the court that SIT is also questioning all those candidates who got through the preliminary examination and have obtained highest marks of their any role in the paper leak.

Hearing in the case was adjourned to April 11.