Cash-for-marks scam in Assam board exams unearthed, two arrested
Rangia, July 18: The Assam Police has unearthed a scam of awarding higher marks in class 10 and 12 state board examinations in lieu of money and arrested two persons from Kamrup district in this connection, a senior officer said on Sunday.
The police also detained four others, including a school inspector and coordinator of the state board, for their alleged involvement in the cash-for-marks scam, he said. Kamrup Superintendent of Police Hitesh Ch Roy said Principal of Majortop Higher Secondary School in Goroimari, Akkas Ali, and Office Assistant at Inspector of Schools Prashanta Das have been arrested.
The police also detained Kamrup district's Inspector of Schools Madhab Deka, Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) coordinator Pulpahi Nath, Goroimari Anchalik Girls High School headmaster Habibur Rahman and Sibeswar Kalita, a staffer of Deka's office for their alleged involvement in the racket, he said.
"We are interrogating all the six people to get more information. Once we find concrete evidence of involvement of the four detained, we will take action accordingly," Roy said. A case has been registered at Changsari police station under several sections of the Indian Penal Code. The Kamrup District Police got information about a "marks scam" a few days back and was investigating it, Roy said.
According to senior officials, a team of about 100 policemen raided the Office of Inspector of Schools on Saturday and seized several documents, including answer sheets, a laptop, mobile handsets and unaccounted cash.
"The police detained all the six people and brought them to the SP's office for interrogation, which continued till late last night. The racket used to award higher marks to candidates of matric and higher secondary (Class 12) exams in lieu of money," an Assam Police source told PTI. The police also recovered a huge amount of documents from the two schools located at Chhaygaon of Kamrup district.