New Delhi [India]: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested a retired assistant professor in the matter of Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) paper leak case in Rajasthan, the agency said on Thursday.
ED investigation revealed that Pradeep Parashar was appointed as district coordinator of the district level committee by the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) to conduct REET, 2021 which was scheduled to be conducted by the department at various places in Rajasthan on September 26, 2021.
Parashar had then appointed one assistant Ram Kripal Meena without any valid order, who was given unauthorized access to the strong room of Siksha Sankul, Jaipur wherein the question paper of REET, 2021 was stored,said the ED.
“Ram Kripal Meena in connivance with Dr. Pradeep Parashar stole the question paper in the night of September 24, 2021 from Siksha Sankul, Jaipur in a well-planned manner and circulated the stolen question paper to other accused persons and in return acquired huge money.”
ED’s Jaipur Zonal Office arrested Parashar under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 on July 10.
Parashar was produced before a special PMLA court in Jaipur and which granted his three-day custody to ED.
ED initiated investigation under on the basis of First Information Reports (FIRs) and charge-sheets registered and filed by Rajasthan Police under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 against Parashar and other related persons.
ED has earlier conducted search operations at total 32 premises of accused persons on June 5, 2023, June 20, 2023, August 7, 2023, Octiber 17, 2023 and October 26, 2023, resulting in recovery of incriminating documents and digital records and seizure of huge cash.
In this case, ED said, it had earlier arrested Pradeep Parashar’s assistant Ram Kripal Meena, against which a Prosecution Complaint has been filed before Hon’ble Special Court (PMLA), Jaipur for which cognizance has already been taken by the court.