Telangana HC asks SIT for update on paper leak probe, rules out CBI probe

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the special investigation team (SIT) probing the TSPSC question paper leak to submit a status report on the investigation done so far, by April 11.

A single-judge bench of Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy also issued notices to the Principal Secretary of the Home department, Hyderabad police commissioner, DCP (central zone), secretary of the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) and ACP (crimes) of the SIT to file their counter-affidavits in the crime registered at the Begum Bazar Police Station.

Dealing with petitions filed by the NSUI, including one by its president B. Venkata Narsing Rao — requesting transfer of probe to either CBI or a sitting judge — Justice Vijaysen Reddy ruled out the same, on the grounds that the petitioner failed to furnish evidence to show that the probe done by the SIT was biased. Also, there was no material placed in court to show the government trying to give a quietus to the case.

Over another NSUI petition alleging the role of minister K.T. Rama Rao’s personal assistant, the High Court refused to take cognisance of the minister’s press meeting on March 18, in which the minister held only the two accused responsible and gave a clean chit to the TSPSC. The High Court held that the petitioner did not place any evidence to substantiate the claims.

Vivek Tanka, a senior Supreme Court advocate, representing the petitioner, questioned how the minister could give a clean chit to the TSPSC even before the SIT could get tangible information on the paper leak.

Tanka claimed that the SIT sought custody of the TSPSC workers N. Praveen Kumar, assistant section officer, and Atla Rajashekar Reddy, system analyst, only after a writ petition was filed, indicating that the government sought to hush up the case. He said that nearly 20 candidates who secured top marks in the recent preliminary examination were from the ministers’ Assembly Constituency, indicating a possible nexus.

“In criminal jurisprudence, it is the investigating agency that gives a clean chit to an accused, after thorough investigation and in this case. But here, the minister has given a clean chit to the TSPSC and such a press statement by the minister of the state creates many doubts on the investigating agency probing this case,” he contended, seeking a probe by an independent agency in the interest of job aspirants.

B.S. Prasad, Advocate General (AG) for the state, informed the court that the TSPSC cancelled the examinations in the larger public interest and questioned how the petitioners were affected by the cancellation. He submitted to the court that the SIT was in the process of unearthing the truth and nine persons were arrested so far in the question paper leak case.

The AG further informed the Court that the SIT is also questioning candidates who obtained the highest marks in the preliminary exams to ascertain their role in the question paper leak.

Prasad asked the High Court to dismiss the writ petition, claiming it was not maintainable on the ground that the petitioner Venkata Narasinga Rao was affiliated to the Indian Nation Congress and thus, did not have a locus to file the writ petition and the move was politically motivated. The other two petitioners in the writ petition appeared for different exams held by the TSPSC, he said.

TPCC president Anumula Revanth Reddy was in attendance during the hearing.