Maharashtra HSC Row Deepens: Maths paper also circulated 20 mins before exam; principal arrested

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The development came to light during a probe triggered after an SFS College (Nagpur) student was caught with a mobile phone during the Chemistry examination on February 18. The girl student was found to have spent about 15 minutes in the washroom while the examination was underway. Concerned teachers questioned her and found a smartphone in her possession. The Chemistry paper and its answers were discovered on her phone inside a WhatsApp group.

Nagpur Police had said on Friday that they have registered an FIR at Sadar Police Station in connection with the alleged circulation of HSC Board question papers ahead of the examination, a case that came to light at one of the examination centres in Nagpur on February 18.

The case has been registered under Sections 316(5) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — pertaining to criminal breach of trust and common intention — along with Section 6 of the University, Board and Other Specified Examinations (Prevention of Malpractices) Act, 1982, which deals with offences related to examination malpractice and question paper leaks. The complaint was lodged by Anil Dahiphale, Education Officer (Secondary), Zilla Parishad, Nagpur.

Police have named a total of eight accused in the case, including a junior college principal, two tuition teachers, two directors of tuition centres, a tuition centre manager, an education academy director, and a student.

The accused are: Nishikant Sukhdev Mool, a tuition teacher; Farhan Akhtar Faheem Akhtar, a student; Junaid Mohammad Abdul Javed (24) of Hasanbagh, manager of Excellent Tuition Classes; Mustafa Khan (42) of Bhanakhda, director of Excellent Tuition Classes; Dinesh Kotangale (37) of Kabir Nagar, a teacher at Success Tuition Classes; Manish Shambharkar (46) of Trimurti Nagar, director of Education Academy; Pradeep Bhaiyalal Jangde (43), principal of Vishakha Junior College; and Sandeep Saratkar (46) of Jaitala, Nagpur, who allegedly accessed papers for everyone.

The alleged circulation of question papers took place on February 16 (Physics), February 18 (Chemistry) and February 21 (Mathematics).

A precise forwarding chain on WhatsApp

Investigators said they uncovered a step-by-step forwarding chain involving WhatsApp groups operating in sequence. The group in which the SFS College student was a member — comprising 20 members — was the last in the chain. The Chemistry paper had allegedly reached that group from another group named “Tech One”, which had five members. That group, in turn, had received the Chemistry paper from a group linked to Excellent Tuition Classes, which had 22 members.

Police said the Physics paper of February 16 was also shared across these groups. On February 21, at 10.38 am, the Mathematics paper was allegedly posted in the Excellent Tuition Classes WhatsApp group.

While police are still trying to trace the origin of the Mathematics paper, they said they have made progress in establishing the source of the Chemistry and Physics papers. During interrogation, it emerged that Altaf Godil, a wanted accused, had allegedly approached Dinesh Kotangale, a Biology tuition teacher at Success Tuition Classes, seeking access to the question papers before the examination. Kotangale allegedly reached out to Pradeep Jangde, the junior college principal. According to police, Jangde allegedly helped provide the Chemistry paper, after which it was circulated further through WhatsApp groups. Police are now searching for Godil.

‘Copy case’; not ‘paper leak’, says Maharashtra Board

However, the Maharashtra State Board is not treating the matter as a “paper leak”. Senior education official Shivling Patwe, Divisional Board Chairman of the Nagpur Division, said the Mathematics case was similar to the earlier Physics and Chemistry incidents.

“In such ‘copy cases’, we conduct an inquiry and take action against students found guilty. The students had already reached the examination hall, and therefore it was not possible for them to misuse it. There is no possibility of a re-examination in this case,” he said.

He added that staff at the concerned centre has been changed and fresh instructions have been issued to plug procedural loopholes. Sadar police said that, at this stage, the matter appears limited to Nagpur city and coordination with police in other cities has not been considered.