Sanjay Kumar Upadhyay, Secretary of the state's exam regulatory authority, who was suspended on Tuesday in the UPTET exam paper leak case was arrested on Wednesday.
The action comes two days after the Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET) was canceled following a question paper leak. Upadhyay was responsible for conducting the exam and lapses that occurred. The government has also instituted a disciplinary inquiry against him.
The suspended secretary of Uttar Pradesh Exam Regulatory Authority was arrested by the state’s Special Task Force sleuths for allegedly ordering printing of the UP Teachers Eligibility Test to a firm without adhering to the provisions of secrecy in the process.
An STF communique said its Noida unit had arrested the printing firm R S M Finserve’s Director Anup Rai earlier on November 29 after finding him involved in leaking the paper for the UP TET exam, leading to its cancellation.
Rai had been apprehended on the basis of disclosures made by other accused arrested in the case earlier.
Following Anup Rai's interrogation, it transpired that Upadhyay too was involved in the paper leak as the printing press which was assigned the task of printing the question papers had no secure printing press and it had got the job done from four other presses.
UPTET is the minimum qualification to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in government schools.
The suspension order issued by Basic Education Secretary, Anamika Singh said that Upadhyay is prima facie guilty for not maintaining the sanctity of the examination, and failing to adhere to the high standards of confidentiality.
According to the order, calling off the exam due to the leak even before it could start has brought a bad name to the state government. The leak shows that Upadhyay failed to conduct the exam smoothly and therefore, is suspended after the approval of Governor Anandiben Patel.
During his suspension term, Upadhyay has been attached to the Basic Education Directorate in Lucknow.
More than 20 lakh aspirants had registered for UPTET scheduled on November 28. It was called off after reports of the question paper being leaked.
UP STF has arrested 29 accused and put 20 more individuals from different districts under the scanner.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)
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