Hyderabad: As the CID probe into Eamcet-2 question paper leak scam coursed itself into the fourth week, the number of arrests of main suspects has reached 13.
Kingpin Iqbal and a few brokers are still evading arrest but officials say they are into the final stage of the investigations.
“We are on the trail of the absconding men and their arrest is just a matter of time, after which the investigation report will be prepared,” said a senior CID official.
Sleuths said the legal aspects relating to the filing of charges against students and parents are also being pursued. So far, over 200 students and most of the rank-holders have been quizzed.
“The list of these students will be finalised once the absconding brokers are also arrested,” said an official. The investigation revealed that the gang operated in a hierarchical manner at three levels — of local agents, brokers and kingpins.
The men at the top level stole the question papers from a press in Delhi. They then made deals with the brokers, who were mostly educational consultants, to get students with money.
The brokers directly contacted many students and took help from local agents to get papers across to the needy students and parents.
Due to the complicated structure of cash transactions and gang structure, the CID is yet to confirm how much money was involved in the scam. But sources say it will run into dozens of crores.
The state police DGP ordered a probe into the scam on July 20 following a tip-off.
When the arrests and confessions confirmed the leak, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao directed on August 2 the cancellation of Eamcet-2 and issued a new date for re-examination.
Only the Eamcet-2 candidates can participate in the re-exam, which will be conducted on September 11.
