Prosecution concludes arguments in Haryana judicial exam paper leak case

New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) The prosecution on Tuesday concluded before a trial court its arguments in a case relating to the alleged paper leak of the 2017 Haryana Civil Services (Judicial) Preliminary Examination.

The prosecution on behalf of Union Territory of Chandigarh submitted before Principal District and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna that this is an open-and-shut case wherein the material adduced by the prosecution clearly establishes that HCS (Judicial) Preliminary Exam-2017 paper was leaked by the then registrar (recruitment) Balwinder Kumar Sharma.

Special Public Prosecutor Charanjit Singh Bakhshi, assisted by Advocate Amit Sahni, further argued that the chain of events against the accused persons was conclusive, which left no doubt for which the accused could claim any relief.

The oral, electronic, documentary and scientific evidence establishes that the then registrar had handed over the question paper of this prestigious examination to his close friend namely Sunita, who then shared the same for illegal gratification with several prospective candidates, the prosecution claimed.

It claimed that the act of the accused persons deserved no leniency as their “ghastly acts have shaken the public conscious, trust and confidence in an institution of judiciary and the same has tarnished the image of Punjab and Haryana High Court as well".

Sharma had claimed in his statement under section 313 CrPC (statement of the accused) that the examination papers were in possession of High Court Committee headed by a high court judge.

He alleged that the final question papers were in the possession of the judge and upon his instructions a fake and false enquiry was ordered to fix him as he claimed innocence.

The court has posted the matter for further arguments on July 20, when the accused persons will start their argument.

The Delhi High Court had in May granted three more months to the trial court to conclude the proceedings in the case. It had earlier directed that the hearing in the matter be taken up on a daily basis.

There are 19 accused and 85 witnesses in the case.

An FIR in the matter involving the paper leak was lodged on a complaint from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2017.

Sharma was suspended by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2017, after the paper leak.

According to the prosecution, the question paper was in the custody of Sharma, the then registrar (recruitment), from the time it was finalised till its dispatch to the examination centre.

It was alleged that the co-accused, Sunita, was known to be in acquaintance with Sharma and the latter had given a copy of the question paper to her, who passed it on to others in return for money.

The high court previously upheld a January 31, 2020 order of a Chandigarh sessions court by which charges were framed against Sharma for the alleged offences of cheating, criminal breach of trust by a public servant, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence under the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

In 2021, the Supreme Court transferred the case to Delhi at Sharma's request. PTI UK UK KVK KVK