Raipur: Police have arrested six people, including a professor, in connection with the alleged leak of a question paper for the BSc Agriculture second-year, second-semester examination at Indira Gandhi Agricultural University (IGAU). Investigators have alleged that Yogesh Sonkesariya, a professor at Bharti Agriculture College in Durg, recorded the question paper using an endoscopic camera without opening the sealed envelope. He allegedly reproduced the contents in writing and passed them on to students. Two other accused are still absconding.
According to police, the professor allegedly provided the question paper for the Entomology examination scheduled for August 20 for around ₹11,000. The investigation has also reportedly revealed that a question paper for the Pathology examination scheduled for August 8 had earlier been provided to select students. However, that paper was not publicly circulated at the time.
Investigators said Sonkesariya has been working as a professor at Bharti Agriculture College since 2019. Police allege that on August 17, he took question papers for upcoming examinations from the agriculture college in Jora to his residence. After reaching home, he allegedly made a tiny opening in the envelope without breaking its seal and inserted an endoscopic camera to record the question paper inside.
Police said the accused then watched the recording and reproduced the question paper by hand before allegedly passing its contents to students. The investigation has also identified a student named Ajay as an alleged link in the chain. He is accused of forwarding the question paper contents to several other students. Investigators are now trying to determine how many students received the leaked paper and whether money was collected from them.
The alleged leak came to light only a few hours before the AGCH-221 examination scheduled for August 20. According to police, information about the suspected leak was received through an email at Kawardha Agriculture College around two hours before the examination was due to begin. The information was subsequently conveyed to the concerned university authorities.
Students and student representatives also reportedly informed officials that some questions from the paper were being circulated on WhatsApp. After examining the material, officials confirmed the possibility of a leak. A case was subsequently registered on the complaint of the senior scientist and officer in charge of the undergraduate examination cell.
As the investigation progressed, police arrested six people, including the professor. All the arrested accused have been taken on two-day police remand. During questioning, investigators are examining the entire alleged chain—from accessing the question paper and recording it to reproducing the contents and distributing them among students.
Police are also investigating whether the alleged leak was driven solely by financial gain or whether a larger network involving students and other individuals was operating behind it. Mobile phones, WhatsApp conversations, bank transactions and other digital evidence of the accused are being examined to establish communication links and identify additional suspects.
The alleged earlier leak of the Pathology question paper is also part of the investigation. Investigators are trying to establish which students received the paper before the August 8 examination and whether any financial transaction took place in connection with its distribution.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has said that six people, including the alleged main accused, have been arrested and that the investigation is continuing. He said action would be taken against anyone found to be involved in the case.
Police are now searching for the two absconding accused and working to establish the wider network allegedly involved in the question paper leak. Investigators are also examining whether the accused had access to or attempted to obtain question papers for other examinations. Further arrests may follow if additional evidence emerges during the investigation.
