Arrested boy changes statements, board said re-exam unlikely

The Kandivli police sent the minor accused, who was found in possession of an extra question paper to Dongri's children's home on Wednesday. According to the police, the 16-year-old SSC student, who is the son of a constable in Charkop police kept changing his statements.

Initially, he said he procured the paper from his friends and later changed it to getting it from two men standing outside the Borivli police station for Rs500. Then later he told the police he got it from his father.

Hareshwar Pimple, senior PI of Kandivli police said, "When we questioned his father, he said he had no idea about the question paper. Later, the boy said he named his father because he thought he could get away as his father is a policeman." He added that the police is investigating the matter to find out whether the paper was leaked elsewhere and if there was a loophole while designing or printing the paper.

"The boy said, he was approached by two people, two days before the exam. On Tuesday at around 9:30am, the men sold the paper for Rs500 at the railway station," added Pimple. The police is collecting call details of the boy and his father.

According to a board official, the boy had arrived 15 minutes late for the exam. " Apart from an extra question paper, the centre in-charge also found two sheets of paper where he had scribbled answers. The sheets of paper used were that of police stationery. This suggests that the boy might have written the answers from the police station," said the official.

The board has set up a four-member inquiry committee to ascertain the source of the leak. However, board officials ruled out the possibility of a re-examination. "Had the paper reached to more than one student, it would have come to our notice. It looks like the paper went only to this one student. Hence, chances of a re-examination are low. Students must concentrate on the next exam and not worry about the algebra paper. We will take a final call on re-examination only after the police investigation and inquiry committee submits its report on Saturday," said said Laxmikant Pande, chairperson of the Mumbai division.

Experts feel the possibility of a leak is most likely at only two junctures. "The paper can be pulled out only at the time of packing or at the exam centre. Sometimes the centre in-charge may leave the papers with some staff, who might misuse it," said Anjana Prakash, principal of Hansraj Morarji School.