UPTET paper leak: senior official held

On Sunday morning, the government cancelled the exam shortly before it was set to commence at 1,754 centres across the state after the question paper started doing the rounds on social media. The police soon verified that it was the same that the examination authority had set. More than 19 lakh candidates were slated to appear for the test.

On the first day, the STF arrested people who are residents of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. During the investigation, the investigators came to know that Upadhyay had given the contract of printing the UPTET question paper to a firm in Delhi. The STF traced the firm’s head Anup Rai Prasad, and found out that he did not own a printing press. The police said Prasad outsourced the printing to a company that owned a computer lab and had earlier organised an online exam. Sources said it was the first time the company had received a contract for printing question papers. The STF arrested Prasad on Tuesday after a lengthy interrogation.

STF Superintendent of Police(SP) Hemraj Meena said Upadhyay was guilty of violating the secrecy protocol that governs the question paper printing. The SP said investigators were still trying to piece together where and how the paper got leaked.

STF Additional Director General Amitabh Yash said 10 cases had been filed in connection with the paper leak. The government has announced that the examination is likely to be held next month. The government has said candidates will not have to fill up forms or pay exam fees again.