Overview
- Police say 50 Class 10 geography papers were stolen from Sangola Vidya Mandir’s strongroom after 2 am on March 17 by cutting the lock, with internal CCTV found switched off.
- Investigators used external CCTV and technical leads to detain a 16-year-old within 24 hours, recovering the papers, three blank answer sheets, and tools including an electric cutter and an electric motorcycle.
- Authorities registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices in University and Other Examinations Act, and the juvenile confessed during questioning in the presence of parents.
- The exam was conducted on schedule with board officials stating there is no evidence the stolen papers reached students, as suspensions hit the examination centre head, the block education officer, and multiple police personnel and home guards for negligence.
- A parallel Nagpur probe found HSC papers moved across WhatsApp groups, named school officials in the chain, and is heading to a chargesheet, reinforcing concerns about procedural vulnerabilities despite the board not classifying those cases as leaks.