Police Sub-Inspector exam paper leak: 16 arrested in Karnataka

BENGALURU:  The City Crime Branch, on the trail of those who allegedly promised to leak question papers of the Civil Police Sub-Inspector exam held on Sunday, arrested 16 people in different parts of the state on Monday. Police are on the lookout for the others involved in the case.

They seized Rs 41.2 lakh in cash, cheques valued at Rs 3 lakh, a laptop, printers and vehicles. The money belonged to candidates who had paid the accused, anticipating the paper a day before the exam.

While eight of the 16 accused are from Bengaluru, the remaining are from Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Raichur and Koppal districts. They were held during raids in Bengaluru, Belagavi, Tumakuru and Vijayapura. Police also suspect the role of teachers at coaching centres.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar said based on a complaint at the Cyber Crime Station, seven to eight teams had fanned out across the state. Police shadowed Basavaraj and Holiyappa — both arrested on Monday — who were coordinating the leak between two gangs in North and South Karnataka. Police also arrested assistant sub-inspector Nagaraj.

After the accused were alerted about the police operation, the agents had told candidates to “study this year and wait for the question paper next year”, according to  Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Alok Kumar.