3 remanded on charge of leaking HSLC questions
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 19 2024: Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West today remanded three persons in connection with leaking and sharing of Science question paper of the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) Examination 2024 which was scheduled on March 15 .

They were arrested under the Manipur Prevention of Malpractices in High School Leaving Certificate and Higher Secondary Examination Act 2024, IPC and Cyber Crime Act.

The arrested persons are teachers and Principal of Pishak Macha Bidya Mandir, Mayang Imphal and they have been identified as Chirom Somendro (46) s/o Gunindro of Mayang Imphal Thana Awang Leikai, Chongtham Naoba (28) s/o (L) Ibohal of Mayang Imphal Thana Awang Leikai and Mutum Bijen (61) s/o (L) Ibomcha of Langthabal Lep Awang Leikai.

The arrested persons were produced before the Court today by a team of Cyber Crime police station after completion of police custody period along with a prayer for judicial custody remand.

On the other hand, defence counsels of the alleged accused persons filed remand objection along with a prayer for releasing them on bail.

During the hearing, APP Phuritshabam Chaoba Devi submitted that a complaint was lodged on March 15 alleging that the question paper (Science) of the HSLC Examination 2024 got leaked and shared on social media platforms a few hours before commencement of the examination on March 15 .

During the course of investigation, the person behind the sharing/leaking of the question paper was identified as Chirom Somendro who allegedly shared the question paper with one student and he was arrested from his residence on March 16 .

During preliminary interrogation, Chirom Somendro revealed that he is a teacher of Pishak Macha Bidya Mandir, Mayang Imphal and the question paper was shared to him by another teacher Chongtham Naoba who teaches at the same school.

Subsequently, Naoba was also arrested from his residence.

Naoba who also runs a coaching centre at his residence disclosed that the question paper was shared to him by the Principal of the school, Mutum Bijen.

Accordingly Bijen was also arrested and he admitted that he shared the question paper to Naoba for sharing among their school students.

Somendro and Naoba, after receiving the question paper from Bijen, shared it with some students.

When they learnt that police had started an investigation regarding the matter, they deleted the question paper and Whatsapp chats from their mobile phones, the APP said.

The Court, after hearing the submission of the APP, the defence counsel and on perusal of the case record, remanded the accused persons in judicial custody and fixed March 22 for hearing of the bail application.

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