Sealed Envelope, Endoscopic Camera: How A Chhattisgarh Professor Leaked An Exam Paper

A professor and five students have been arrested in Chhattisgarh’s Durg in connection with the alleged leak of an entomology question paper of Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV). Police allege that the professor secretly opened the sealed question paper envelope and used an endoscopic camera to photograph it before the questions were circulated among students.

The second-year BSc Agriculture entomology examination was cancelled on August 20 after the university received information that questions were circulating ahead of the scheduled test.

How Was The Paper Allegedly Leaked?

The examination was scheduled from 10 am to 1 pm across 28 agriculture colleges affiliated with IGKV. According to police, the leak was traced to Anuj Minj, a student from Durg, after investigators examined the leaked paper, screenshots, photographs, messages and social media posts.

Police subsequently arrested Yogesh Sonkesariya, a professor at Bharti Agriculture College in Durg, along with five students identified as Ajay Nayak, Tridev Patel, Nitin Pandey, Anuj Minj and Aditya Sahu.

According to the police, Sonkesariya allegedly photographed the question paper using an endoscopic camera after secretly opening its sealed envelope. He then allegedly sold the captured paper for ₹11,000 to Ajay Nayak and two other students. The questions were subsequently shared with other students, police said.

University Received Leak Alerts Before Exam

According to a complaint filed by N R Rangare, senior scientist and in-charge of IGKV’s undergraduate examination cell, an email claiming that the paper had been leaked was received by the Agriculture College and Research Centre in Kawardha at 8.41 am on August 20. Another email was received by university officials at 8.54 am.

Students and their representatives also alerted university authorities through WhatsApp, reporting that purported questions from the examination paper were being circulated.

The university subsequently cancelled the examination.

Police Arrest Accused Within 36 Hours

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Cyber) Smruthik Rajanala said the accused were arrested within 36 hours of the complaint being received.

Police registered a case against unidentified persons under the Chhattisgarh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2008, and Section 316 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to criminal breach of trust.

The investigation is continuing into the alleged circulation of the question paper and the involvement of other students.