The II pre-university (PU) chemistry question papers were leaked from Hangal treasury in Haveri district, probe by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has revealed.
The information about the source of the leakage was revealed by Kiran alias Kumaraswamy, nephew of Shivakumaraiah who was arrested on May 3.
Sources said Kiran, who was arrested by the CID sleuths on Tuesday, accessed the question papers with the help of Santosh Parshuram Agasimani, a second division assistant in the sub-treasury at Hangal, Director-General of Police (CID) H.C. Kishore Chandra told presspersons here on Wednesday.
With the latest development, Kiran is now being termed as the prime accused in the question paper leakage scam.
Mr. Kishore Chandra said Agasimani had given the keys of the treasury to Kiran to access the question papers. Kiran had photographed the papers and resealed the packets. The photographs were then sent to his contacts through WhatsApp to be sold to “customers”, the DIG said.
On Tuesday, following a tip-off, a CID team reached a farmhouse in Tumakuru district where Kiran was hiding and arrested him. To conceal his identity, the CID officials said, he had tonsured his head and shaved his moustache.
A team was sent to Hangal to arrest Agasimani, who was hospitalised after a scuffle with his relative over a property dispute. The CID team, led by Superintendents of Police Siri Gouri and Ida Martin, on Wednesday, secured Agasimani’s custody.
So far, the CID has arrested 13 persons in this case. Further investigations are on to ascertain the involvement of others.
Though the 10-day custody of Shivakumaraiah is coming to an end, CID officials could elicit little information from him owing to his poor health. “He has not revealed anything till now. The police are constantly getting his health checked in view of complications because of his BP and diabetes problems,” a senior police officer said.
