In a key development in the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) question paper leak case, its chairman Janardhan Reddy and secretary Anitha Ramachandran on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED officials were questioning the duo at ED’s regional office here. The agency is gathering information on key aspects relating to the paper leak, focusing on financial transactions. The statements of both the officials will be recorded by the central agency.
Last month, the ED took up investigation into money laundering allegations in the TSPSC question paper leak case
The ED had earlier summoned TSPSC section officer Shankar Laxmi in connection with the probe into the alleged illegal money transactions in the paper leak scam.
Shankar Laxmi is incharge of the confidential section of TSPSC, from where the exam question papers were allegedly stolen by Praveen Kumar and Rajasekhar Reddy, the employees of TSPSC and prime accused in the case.
The ED has also questioned both Praveen Kumar and Rajasekhar Reddy in Chanchalguda Jail.
During the interrogation, the agency recorded the statements of both the accused about the money they allegedly collected from those who obtained the leaked question papers. The agency suspects that the amount they collected is involved in money laundering and is unaccounted for.
The central agency had registered a Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and took up investigation following reports and complaints about huge money changing hands.
During the questioning of the accused and others in the case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Telangana police had reportedly found illegal transactions to the tune of Rs38 lakh.
The TSPSC scam came to light on March 12 which led to the arrest of 15 accused besides the cancellation of the Group 1 preliminary examination, Assistant Engineers, AEE, and DAO exams.
Praveen Kumar, who worked as an assistant section officer at TSPSC and Rajashekar Reddy, a network admin at TSPSC, had allegedly stolen question papers of some exams from a computer in a confidential section of the Commission and sold it to other accused.
The SIT has so far arrested 19 persons in the case.
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.
The SIT has also examined TSPS chairman Janardhan Reddy, secretary Anita Ramachandran and member B. Linga Reddy.
