Amid Ongoing Probe, Chief Minister Himanta Hints At ‘Political Reason’ Behind Assam Paper Leak Row

The state police have arrested a teacher Prasanna Das from Lakhimpur in the Assam HSLC Paper Leak row, who has also been a Congress affiliate in the past.

Amidst the ongoing Assam HSLC Paper Leak row, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has hinted at the possibility of the entire paper leak gate being ‘politically motivated.’ Notably, the Assam State Education Board has been into controversies around reports of multiple exam papers of the ongoing Assam HSLC Exam 2023 getting leaked. 

Following the cancellation of General Science and Assamese Language papers due to paper leak, social media reports also claimed the Chemistry paper to be leaked. Later, Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu stepped into the matter and debunked the claims of Chemistry paper leak. 

"The news of Chemistry question paper leak in the current HS examination is completely fake and baseless. I have personally checked the matter. We are taking utmost care and maintaining vigilance. Please don’t heed fake news and rumours,” Ranoj Pegu tweeted earlier. 

In a fresh series of reports doing rounds on the internet, claims were made that the Geography question paper of the Assam HSLC Exams 2023 were also leaked. After the Geography question paper leak surfaced, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu once again discarded the claims and termed them as fake. 

“The Geography Question Paper circulated in social media allegedly of leak is fake. SEBA authority has confirmed that it is fake. Instructed concerned officer to lodge FIR in Police station,” Ranoj Pegu tweeted. 

“The CID, which is investigating the question paper leak case, has so far arrested 32 people, including several students. The investigation is on. The case has been almost cracked completely,” Assam Police spokesperson Prasanta Kumar Bhuyan was quoted as saying by PTI. 

Notably, two teachers Pranab Dutta and Kumud Rajkhowa are also among those arrested in the matter, and are the prime accused in the case. While another teacher Prasanna Das who was arrested from Lakhimpur has been associated with the Congress party at the local level before joining services. 

“It is now known that one of the accused is a former Congress office-bearer. We have to now see whether he did it (leaking the papers) for monetary benefits or political reasons were also there,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was reported saying to reporters in the national capital by PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)

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