Mumbai Crime: Five arrested for leak of HSC exam paper

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The Bhoiwada police arrested five people, including a student and college staff, in connection with the leak of the chemistry question paper in the HSC exam, on Saturday. The leak came to light when a student appearing for the exam told the invigilator that his friend had a copy of the paper on his cellphone. The accused including the custodians of the question paper, allegedly forwarded a copy of it to students. The police are now verifying whether the same people have leaked the question paper through other media.

The chemistry paper was held in the ongoing HSC exam on February 28. At a Parel college when students were waiting to enter the exam hall, one of them showed the question paper to his friend on his mobile phone. Shocked, the friend revealed this to the invigilator in the exam hall, who informed the college administration. A formal complaint was lodged by the college administration with Bhoiwada police station.

After investigation, the police first arrested two staff members of the college, in whose custody the question papers were kept before the exam. "These staffers clicked the picture of the question paper at 9.30 am and forwarded it to two outsiders, who sent it to a student," said a highly placed source in the police department. "It is still unclear how many students received the paper on WhatsApp and how much they paid for it," the source added.

Those arrested have been booked under the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act, 1982. All of them secured bail.

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