The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
UP Cabinet clears Ordinance against paper leaks: Up to life term, `1cr fine After headmaster, teacher from Maharashtra held in NEET-UG ‘paper leak’
THE UTTAR PRADESH government on Tuesday passed the proposal for promulgation of an Ordinance that provides for jail terms ranging from two years to life imprisonment, and fines of up to `1 crore for those involved in question paper leaks.
The proposal for the Ordinance to prevent paper leaks and other such offences was passed in a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.
All offences under the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Ordinance have been made cognizable and non-bailable. The offences will be tried by sessions courts and will be non-compoundable. It also has strict provisions for bail.
Apart from jail terms and fines, provisions have also been made under the Ordinance for property of those found involved to be attached.
The Ordinance covers exams conducted by Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission, UP Subordinates Service Selection Board, UP Board, state universities, and authority, bodies, or agencies nominated by them, a government spokesperson said. It will also cover exams for regularisation and promotion in government jobs. Under the Ordinance, offences including distributing fake question papers and making fake employment websites are also punishable. Besides, the spokesperson said, if an exam is affected, then the financial burden caused due to this will be recovered from those found to be involved. Under the Ordinance, provisions have been made to forever blacklist companies and service providers found guilty in adversely affecting examinations. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had announced soon after Lok Sabha elections that a law would be brought to prevent paper leaks with strict provisions to bust the gangs involved in such activities.
In February, an exam for the recruitment of over 60,000 police constables was cancelled due to a paper leak.
A DAY after Latur police arrested a 34-year-old headmaster of a Zilla Parishad school for his alleged links to the NEET-UG paper leak case, the police early Tuesday arrested a 40-year-old teacher.
The police said the teacher, identified as Sanjay Jadhav, was a mediator between the Delhibased mastermind, Gangadhar Munde, and two accused from Maharashtra— headmasterjalil Khan Pathan and one Iranna Kongalwar, who is absconding.
An officer said, “We have learnt that Jadhav, along with Pathan and Kongalwar, promised students that they will ensure that they get sufficient marks to get admission in medical colleges in exchange for money. Through Jadhav, the two other accused sought help from Gangadhar.”
The investigators believe that the accused, who were in possession of admit cards of several students, would get the answer sheets after submissions at the centre and accordingly fill the answers on their behalf.
The teacher was produced before a court in Latur and police listed 23 grounds for Jadhav’s 10day custody.
However, when his advocate Shrikant Borade told the court that he was previously interrogated jointly by the ATS and the local police, the court remanded him in police custody till July 2.