The CJI-led bench, however, asked NTA not to disclose names of candidates in the uploaded results. It said publication of these results was essential as the 44 petitioner students have no wherewithal to identify whether a centre-wise success pattern existed.
Submit proof gathered before CBI took over: SC to Bihar cops
This also ties in with the court’s concern about ascertaining whether the leak was a localised affair or stretched across centres. The much-awaited hearing, in which the bench of CJI D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra appeared hewed to its position that it would not cancel the entrance test unless satisfied the leak was not limited to just one centre, saw the justices making it clear they would go deep into the malaise that allegedly compromised the integrity of the test. They also reiterated the larger interest of over 23 lakh students, many of whom belonged to poor or middle class families and strived for years to succeed in the examination.
Significantly, although SC appeared to be going by the findings of the CBI probe, it also summoned evidence from Bihar Police which exposed the matter. “The material collected by Bihar Police through the investigation and the report of Economic Offences Wing of Bihar Police, before the investigation was taken over by CBI, shall be filed in the court by 5pm on July 20,” said the bench as it responded to the contention of the petitioners’ counsel, senior advocate Narender Hooda, that NTA’s stand was at variance with the findings of Bihar cops. SC scheduled the hearing for Monday.
After perusing two probe status reports by CBI, SC said, “It appears there was no systemic wrong… at Godhra (where re-examination was held). Wrongdoing happened at Hazaribag (where the sealed envelope of question paper was tampered with and photos of question paper was taken prior to examination on May 5) and Patna.”
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta explained the modus operandi of the paper-leak gang and said they had taken advance money from parents and post-dated cheques running into lakhs for enabling their children to take advantage of the wrongdoing. He said the gang did it for money and never wanted the leaked paper to be circulated, or, to be precise, expose those who had paid money, as that would have led to cancellation of the examination, which would have been detrimental to their illicit business.
Mehta said a photo of the question paper was taken out and the gang engaged seven question-solvers to provide answers within one hour on May 5 morning. The gang then called targeted students and made them memorise the answers. He said CBI has arrested the person who took a photo of the question paper at Oasis School (Hazaribag), its centre superintendent, three question-solvers and some of the gang members.
The SG said the first 100 rankers are spread across 95 centres in 56 cities. He said the students who benefited from the localised leak would not exceed 150, that no benefit would be enured to them as they have been identified, and that necessary action would be taken against them.