Assam Police arrest 27 in HSLC paper leak case

GUWAHATI: The Assam Police have arrested 27 people so far in connection with the leakage of the question paper of the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination which was scheduled earlier on March 13, said the officials on Friday.

"Police have so far arrested 27 persons and detained four others in connection with the case of question paper leak of High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination conducted by Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA)," Assam DGP GP Singh.

Addressing a press conference held in Guwahati, the Assam DGP said that police have cracked down the entire chain of the question paper leak incident and arrested 27 persons and detained four others.

He further said that four other persons have been detained in the case.

"Two teachers have been identified as the masterminds of the HSLC examination paper leak. We have detained one of two and another is still absconding and I hope we will catch him soon. We will arrest Pranab Dutta, the headteacher and centre in charge of Luhit Khabalu High School of Majuli, who is also one of the masterminds," GP Singh said.

The Assam DGP also said that another mastermind is Kumud Rajkhowa, a teacher of Daflakata High School in Lakhimpur district, who is a close associate of Pranab Dutta and police will catch him soon.

The Assam DGP further said that police recovered remnants of burnt question papers from the house of Pranab Dutta and those are being sent for forensic examination. HSLC or Matric Science exam was scheduled for March 13 but was cancelled in view of media reports of leakage of the question paper.

However, Assam High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) General Science paper will now be held on March 30.

Meanwhile, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday evening informed about the leakage of the paper which was cancelled days after the General Science question paper leak of the HSLC examination.