UP Police Exam Paper Leak | 'Nothing Incriminating Recovered From His Possession': Allahabad HC Grants Bail To An Accused
Last week, the Allahabad High Court granted bail to Monu Sharma @ Monu Pandit, who was held earlier this year for allegedly trying to manipulate a police constable examination and leaking the question papers.A bench of Justice Sameer Jain granted him relief, noting that nothing incriminating was recovered from his possession and that the co-accused (Monu Kumar and Rajneesh Ranjan), who were...
Last week, the Allahabad High Court granted bail to Monu Sharma @ Monu Pandit, who was held earlier this year for allegedly trying to manipulate a police constable examination and leaking the question papers.
A bench of Justice Sameer Jain granted him relief, noting that nothing incriminating was recovered from his possession and that the co-accused (Monu Kumar and Rajneesh Ranjan), who were also apprehended along with the applicant, have already been released on bail by the High Court.
Though the single judge considered the applicant's criminal history involving four other cases, it noted that he had been granted bail in all of them, all the alleged offences are triable by a Magistrate of the First Class, and the applicant has been in jail since April 5, 2024, and thus, he was found entitled to be released on bail.
Applicant Pandit has been booked under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, and 34 IPC on the allegations of leaking the question paper of the written Uttar Pradesh Constable Recruitment and Promotion examination (scheduled for 17th and 18th February 2024) even before the examination was conducted.
As per a report of the Times Of India, the Candidates who appeared for the exam alleged that the paper was available at a price between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2 lakh. It was also alleged that many of the candidates had obtained the paper 8-12 hours before the commencement of the examination.
In December 2023, the Uttar Pradesh Government announced 60,244 openings for police constable positions, the entry-level roles within the state police force.
Over 48 lakh aspirants filed the form to appear in the written test, which took place at over 2300 centres across 75 districts of the State. The examination drew significant attention due to the allegations of paper leaks and other irregularities. Consequently, the Uttar Pradesh government cancelled the examination in response to these allegations.
Case title - Monu Sharma @ Monu Pandit vs. State of U.P. 2024 LiveLaw (AB) 409
Case citation: 2024 LiveLaw (AB) 409
Click Here To Read/Download Order