Paper leak: Probe reveals deal was struck for Rs 2.5 lakh

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rewari, June 9

Rajeev Bhutani, Block Education Officer (BEO), Nissing (Karnal), had struck a deal with an examinee, Dinesh, of Hisar for Rs2.5 lakh to leak a question paper for 70 posts of Naib Tehsildar, the exam for which was conducted in the state on May 26. Another accused Satish Rathi of Bahalmba village (Rohtak) was the mediator who approached the BEO for the purpose.

These facts have come out during the probe by the special investigation team (SIT) into the case. The trio — Bhutani, Dinesh and Rathi — are in police custody. Dinesh was nabbed on May 26 while Bhutani and Rathi were arrested a couple of days ago.

The BEO was given Rs 1 lakh in advance while the remaining Rs1.5 lakh was to be given after the exam. Interestingly, Rathi was also an examinee and his exam centre was in Hisar but he did not appear, said Inspector Jagbir Singh, a member of the SIT.

“Dinesh had got in touch with the BEO through Rathi, who also runs an institute in Rohtak. Rathi had come to Rewari a day before the exams on May 25 to strike a deal with the superintendent of an exam centre so that Dinesh could get the answer key easily but he did not succeed,” said Singh, adding that Rathi and Dinesh were also booked in Yamunanagar in 2017 in connection with the excise and taxation inspector exam paper leak.

He maintained that the BEO had fled upon learning that the Rewari police had busted the racket with arresting Dinesh and some others involved in the case. Bhutani spent several nights at a gurdwara and a temple in Ambala to evade arrest. He surrendered before a court in Karnal after nine days, he added.

“Rathi too along with a villager escaped to Haridwar and Rishikesh after learning that the police was conducting raids to arrest him. All accused — Bhutani, Dinesh and Rathi — were interrogated simultaneously in presence of senior officers and cross questioning was done,” Singh claimed.

He said the paper was leaked from SS international School, Karnal.

Mediator was an examinee 

• One of the accused, Satish Rathi, was the mediator; he had approached the Block Education Officer (BEO) Rajeev Bhutani for leaking out the paper for Naib Tehsildar
• The BEO was given Rs 1 lakh in advance, while the remaining Rs 1.5 lakh was to be given after the exam
• Rathi was also an examinee and his exam centre was in Hisar, but he did not appear