SSC paper leak case: MP Bandi Sanjay sent to 14 days remand; BJP appeals for bail

Hyderabad: BJP state president Bandi Sanjay has been sent to 14 days judicial remand in the alleged SSC Hindi paper leak case. The MP will be lodged at the Khammam jail, amid tight security. The arrest and judicial remand of the MP is significant, at the time when Prime Minister Narender Modi is scheduled to visit Hyderabad on April 8th (Saturday). With heavy security bandobust the MP was taken to Khammam jail on April 5th night.

In a midnight operation, BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar was taken into preventive custody in connection with the SSC Hindi question paper leak, the latter was arrested on April 5th, 2023. Karimnagar police picked him up from his residence after midnight. He was shifted to the BommalaRamaram police station in Yadadri Bhongir district. Police have accused him of being involved in the SSC Hindi examination question paper leak. Meanwhile, The BJP legal cell is said to move the court for bail of the MP.

Kamalapur Police falling under Warangal Police Commissionerate of Telangana, has named Bandi Sanjay as accused one, in the remand report filed before the Judicial Magistrate of Hanamkonda. April 5th being a court holiday, Bandi Sanjay was produced before the magistrate at the residence, the judicial remand followed.

In the remand report the Kamalapur police said–“This is a case of preplanned and evil designed criminal conspiracy malpractices in SSC Public examination with an intention to create rumors and provoke breach of peace of the ongoing public examination in the TS state. Where in MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar hatched a plan with the help of B Prashanth -( Ex-journalist) to leak the ongoing SSC papers by taking photos of a question paper in the cell phone. Bandi Sanjay gave direction to Prashanth to exploit the situation of leakage of Telugu question papers which happened on April 3th and 4th. The accused involved would then circulate the same to defame the government and officials”. Said the remand copy.

The accused include MP Bandi Sanjay, Boora Prashanth, G Mahesh, M Shiva Ganesh, accused 4 is a minor. The absconding accused include, Pogu Subhash, Pogu Shashank and D Srikanth. The remand report also includes the personal assistant of BJP MLA Etela Rajender.

How it all started?

On April 4th, 2023– as per schedule the SSC Telugu examination was on, however at around 09.45 AM, a picture of the question paper was making rounds in Whatsapp groups. The same was repeated on April 4th during the SSC Hindi paper. The picture was circulating in the media and political groups.

The lid of the conspiracy blew off when accused Manoj went to the examination centers and obtained a photocopy of the question paper in his cell phones, and put them in different WhatsApp groups for circulation. This was done to create fear among the students and their parents, thereby to defame the duly elected State Government, cops said.

What cops said in the in the remand report?

Investigation found that, the intention behind leaking the paper was to show the government in a bad lime light and to damage the state education board’s reputation.

1. The question papers were leaked from the examination rooms at Kamalapur ZPHS. In turn, accused Mahesh entrusted the job to one Shivaji, Pogu Subhash, Pogu Shashank and D Srikanth. As per their plan accused who is a (minor) along with Srikanth went to the ZPHS boys Kamalapur, trespassed into the school by scaling over the compound wall, climbed the tree and went to the first floor room No (3) in the center code No (12050). And the minor took the photo of the question paper from Harish at 9.45 AM (after the exam commenced). Later, the minor sent it to Shiva Ganesh.

2. Then around 11.11 AM, reports of breaking news make rounds. The accused A-2 Prasanth prepared a text as breaking news: "WARANGAL LO SC HINDI PAPER LEAK, UDAYAM 9:30 KE LEAK AAINA PRASHNA PATHRAM, VARUSGA RENDOVA ROJU PRASHNA PATRAM LEAK AAVADAM THO THALLIDANDRULA ANDOLANA CHENDUTUNNARU, SC STUDENTS WHATSAPP GROUP LO PRATHAKSHYAMAINA HINDI PRASHNA PATRAM" subsequently accused A2 has forwarded the same to MLA Etela Rajender at 10:41 AM, Bandi Sanjay Kumar- MP at 11:24 AM, Raju (PA to E.Rajender, MLA), Narender (PA to E.Rajender, MLA), Naresh (Sakshi reporter), Raj news reporter of Kamalapur.

3. Accused 2 -Prasanth forwarded the same to TV5 Srinu, photographer group. Prashanth falsely prepared this breaking news showing that the Hindi question paper was leaked at 9.30 AM April 4th but actually a minor photographed the question paper from the exam hall at 9.45 AM and flashed it to Shiva Ganesh.

4. This was immediately sent to a SSC 2019-20 group (name of the group), meanwhile Parshanth also spoke to 149 members afterwards.

5. The probe indicated that technical evidence such as call details of the phones prove that the accused persons were involved in a conspiracy regarding the leaking and copying of the question papers on 04- April (Hindi paper).

6. A case has been booked against A1 to A3, A5 to A10 under section 120(B), 420, 447, 505(1)(b) IPC, Sec.4(a),6,г/w 8 of T.S. Public examination (Prevention of malpractices) Act-1997, Sec.66-D IT Act-2008.

Speaking to media- Warangal Police Commissioner A.V Ranganath said, “The Hindi question paper picture was taken at 9.45 AM, around 15 minutes after the exam commenced on April 4th. Ex-journalist Boora Prashanth sent the question paper to all including BJP Telangana state president Bandi Sanjay at 11.18 AM. However, Probe found multiple WhatsApp chats, calls between Ex-Journo Prashanth and MP Bandi Sanjay. Whatever was spoken in chats between the two, the MP repeated the same in a press conference on April 5th. For example, Andhra Jyothi newspaper carried Bandi Sanjay’s press statement - which matches their conversation that happened on April 3rd. Please note that Prashanth worked with HMTV, NaMo TV from Warangal”.

The BJP legal cell has appealed for bail citing threat to the life of Bandi Sanjay. The court will hear BJP's habeas corpus in the first hour on April 6th.