New Delhi: Two teachers of a private Delhi school and a tutor at a private institute were arrested on Sunday over the CBSE Class 12 economics question paper leak even as one CBSE official found "lax" in the performance of duty was suspended from service.
Two accused Rishabh, 29, and Rohit, 26, taught mathematics and physics respectively at Mother Khazani Convent School at Bawana. The third accused is Tauqeer.
Human Resource Development Ministry Secretary Anil Swarup announced the suspension of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) official K.S. Rana and the institution of a formal inquiry against him.
"On HRD Minister Prakash Javdekar's direction for swift action against culprits, the CBSE has suspended K.S. Rana, who was found lax in supervising examination centre 0859 with immediate effect. A formal inquiry has been instituted," Swarup said in a series of tweets.
"Consequent to the arrest of two teachers of Mother Khajani Convent School, Mungeshpur, Delhi, and coaching institute head Tauquir by Delhi Police, for colluding to leak the Class 12 economics paper and a probe carried out by the CBSE, a board personnel K.S. Rana was found lax in supervision," he wrote.
Special Commissioner (Crime) R.P. Upadhyay told reporters here that the three accused arrested on Sunday morning had been sent in two-day police remand by a city court.
"Though question papers were supposed to be opened 15 minutes prior to the start of exams at 10 a.m., the Class 12 economics paper was opened around half an hour or 40 minutes before the commencement time. Its contents were shared on WhatsApp with a few students who later passed it on to others," he said.
"The question paper was then forwarded to 26-year-old Tauqeer, a tutor at a coaching centre in Bawana, by his friend Rohit following instructions from Rishabh," Upadhyay said.
The police officer said a handwritten paper leaked a day before the examination was a "different case", which is under investigation.
"As many as 915 students accessed the picture of the question paper received by various groups on WhatsApp," the police officer said.
The CBSE has said that the Class 12 economics paper exam would now be held again on April 25.