Key accused in MPPSC paper leak case arrested from Bihar

BHOPAL: Special task Force (STF) arrested Brijendra Gupta, alleged key accused in MPPSC mains exam paper leak case, from Bihar on Thursday. Gupta was close associate of the scam kingpin Akhilesh Pandey, officials say.
Gupta used to train and accommodate candidates to whom leaked papers were sold, said STF officials.
STF had registered FIR against four people, including Uttar Pradesh-based Akhilesh Pandey, in the paper leak case in July this year.Pandey is still on the run. Mediator Illyas Khan was arrested earlier this year.
It was during a crackdown on inter-state paper leak racket by Delhi crime branch which found that question papers of MP Public Service Commission (MPPSC's), state civil services prelim and main examinations 2012-2013 were also leaked. More than 4 lakh candidates had appeared for prelims while 6,000 had made it to the mains, said sources.
MPPSC conducted exam for the post of deputy collectors, deputy superintendent of police (DSP), commercial tax officer (CTO), district excise officer and assistant RTO (regional transport officer) among others.
MPPSC is already facing a STF probe for leak of ayurveda medical officer's examination question paper held recently. The exam was cancelled.
Questions papers were leaked by a Delhi-based gang and sold to 52 candidates in MP at a price of Rs 30 to Rs 40 lakh each.
On June 18, Delhi crime branch had arrested chief controller of North Central Railway, Agra zone Dinesh Kapil, a suspended railway engineer Rajeev Prasad and two others identified as Vinay Dende and Sanjay Kumar for their alleged involvement in the Delhi Police paper leak case. Kapil - who had allegedly leaked the 2011 LIC paper also - is said to be the mastermind of MPPSC paper leak case. All four were remanded to judicial custody and sent to Tihar jail. After getting inputs from Delhi crime branch, MPSTF has secured production warrant against these accused.
MPPSC is already facing a STF probe for leak of Ayurveda medical officer's examination question paper held recently. The exam too was cancelled.