Bengaluru, Feb 18 : The Karnataka Cybercrime police have cracked a law exam question paper leak racket and arrested a three-member gang, including the Vice Principal of a law college. The accused have confessed to committing the crime for monetary gains.

The exams were being conducted in law colleges affiliated with the Karnataka State Law University (KSLU). On January 23, question papers scheduled for that day were leaked on Telegram and WhatsApp groups, causing distress among students.

Following this development, an associate professor from SJM Law Maha Vidyalaya and the Chairman of KSLU's Vigilance Committee-2 filed a complaint at the Cybercrime, Economic Offences, and Narcotics (CEN) police station.

After registering the complaint, the police used technical analysis and intelligence gathering to trace the leak of the Contract Law-1 question paper to a Telegram group. One of the accused, a law student, was picked up from his residence in Anekal, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, on January 30.

Upon interrogation, the student confessed to leaking the question paper and revealed the involvement of two other individuals. He was taken into police custody for 10 days. During questioning, he admitted to sharing the Contract Law-1 question paper from his mobile number via the KSLU and KSLU Notes Telegram groups. After his confession, he was remanded to judicial custody.

The police then arrested the Vice Principal of Basavashree College of Law in Kolar and his driver, who was also studying law. The arrests were made on February 15 from their residences in Chintamani and Kolar.

Both accused confessed to their involvement in the crime. They were produced before the court on February 16 and remanded to six days of police custody.

The investigation revealed that the Vice Principal's driver, who was also a law student, had accessed the question papers from the Vice Principal's mobile phone and leaked them to candidates in exchange for money. This was done with the full knowledge and approval of the Vice Principal.

The accused admitted to opening the sealed question papers at Bangarpet and Kolar district law colleges a day before the exams, taking photos, and distributing them.

The Bengaluru Police Commissioner, B. Dayanand, along with DCP (Crime) Akshay M. Hakey and cybercrime investigators, has appreciated the efforts of the police team in cracking the case.

/IANS