Telangana BJP MLA Eatala Rajender on Monday appeared before Warangal police following a notice issued to him in connection with the case of malpractice after a Class 10 (SSC) board exam question paper surfaced on groups of an instant messaging app.
After giving his statement to the police in the Hanumakonda district, the saffron party leader said he gave his phone to the authorities and provided them with the required information.
The BJP leader, in a release, said he did not get any message from the number mentioned by the police in the notice given to him. Rajender further claimed he did not get any phone calls and that he did not open the message which he got on his mobile number.
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The case is an attempt by the ruling BRS to divert the attention from the 'leak' of TSPSC exam papers, he alleged.
Telangana BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who was named as the prime accused in the case relating to the alleged circulation of Class 10 (SSC) Hindi examination question paper in groups of an instant messaging app, was arrested by Warangal Police on April 5 and remanded in judicial custody, but was later granted bail by a court on April 6.
The SSC Hindi question paper was posted in a group of the app by the accused on April 4 and subsequently shared in other groups by one of the accused, who had also sent it to Sanjay Kumar.
Police had earlier issued notices to the BJP legislator and several others asking them to appear before the investigating officer (IO) for recording their statements as witnesses after some of the accused had allegedly sent the photos of the question paper to the BJP leader and others.
After purported images of two question papers surfaced on social media, police accused Sanjay Kumar of conspiring with other accused to create rumours and provoke a breach of peace during the ongoing SSC public examination to defame the state government.
The images of the SSC Telugu and Hindi question papers surfaced on social media platforms on April 3 and April 4 while the exams were underway. The exams began across the state on April 3.