Question leak: 7 to give confessional statements in court today, 10 jailed

Seven of 17 people who were detained, over allegations of leaking question papers for public service recruitment examinations, have been taken to a Dhaka court to record confessional statements under section 164 of Code of Criminal Procedure.

Ten others of the lot have been sent to jail. 

Judge Tahmina Haque of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court gave the order today, a CID official involved in the investigation told The Business Standard, wishing anonymity.

Earlier on 8 July, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) detained 17 people, including three officials of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC).

The CID today filed a case at Paltan Model Police Station against 80-90 persons, including 31 named, in this connection. 

The 31 people who were named in the case include the 17 people who have been arrested in the last two days.

Question paper leak: CID files case against 80-90 persons

According to court sources, the seven defendants who agreed to give confessional statements are PSC chairman's former chauffeur Abed Ali, PSC despatch writer Khalilur Rahman and office assistant Sajedul Islam, businessmen Md Sohel, Sakhawat Hossain and Sayem Hossain and a private university student Liton Sarkar.

The 10 accused who were sent to jail are Abed Ali's son Syed Sohanur Rahman Siam, PSC Deputy Directors Abu Zafar and Jahangir Alam, Assistant Director Alamgir Kabir Noman Siddique, Auditor Priyanath Roy, Passport and Immigration official Mamunur Rashid, Narayanganj passport office security guard Shahadat Hossain, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital technicians Niamul Hasan and Zahidul Islam.

According to the case statement, an organised gang leaked the question papers before the Railway Sub Assistant Engineer recruitment exam held under PSC on 5 July.

The PSC formed a three-member committee led by PSC Joint Secretary Abdul Alim Khan to probe question paper leaks.