ED grills prime accused in TSPSC paper leak case

Hyderabad, April 17:  The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday began questioning two prime accused in the Telangana State Public Service (TSPSC) exam paper leak case.

The ED officials reached Chanchalguda Central Jail and began questioning Praveen Kumar and Rajasekhar Reddy, both suspended employees of TSPSC.

The central agency, which is probing money laundering charges in the case, is likely to grill them about alleged involvement of some influential persons in the case.

On a petition filed by the ED, a city court on Saturday granted two-day custody of Praveen and Rajasekhar.

The ED officials are believed to be questioning the two accused based on the information obtained from Shankara Lakshmi, incharge of the confidential section room at TSPSC. She had appeared before the ED on April 11 and was grilled for over 10 hours.

The ED, which took up investigation based on the FIR issued by the Hyderabad police, recorded Lakshmi's statement as per provisions of section 50 of Criminal Procedure Code.

It was from the computer in the confidential section that Praveen and Rajasekhar had stolen question papers of various exams conducted by the TSPSC for recruitment in government departments.

After the question paper leak came to light more than a month ago, the TSPSC cancelled at least four examinations including the Group-1 Preliminary exam.

On March 31, the ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in connection with the question paper leak case.

The agency began the probe into money laundering charges after allegations that those who leaked the question papers got money from abroad through hawala channels. They allegedly collected Rs 40 lakh.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Hyderabad police, probing the paper leak case, has arrested 17 accused in the case since March 13. Last week, it told the Telangana High Court that it was making efforts to arrest another accused from New Zealand.

The exam paper leak case created a sensation in Telangana as opposition parties Congress and BJP blamed the BRS government for the leak that affected lakhs of unemployed in the state.

State Congress president A. Revanth Reddy had also lodged a complaint with the ED, seeking probe into money laundering allegations in the case.

Earlier, in response to the SIT notice, the Congress leader had appeared before the officials and shared information with regard to certain allegations made by him.

Though SIT had also summoned state BJP chief Bandi Sanjay to provide evidence in support of his allegations, he sent his legal representative.