Raipur, August 22: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday confirmed the arrest of six people, including the alleged mastermind, in connection with the question paper leak at the Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV).

The accused include a professor and five students from a private college in Durg district, police said. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are probing whether more people were involved in the leak.

Addressing the media, Sai said, “Six individuals, including the prime accused, have been arrested in connection with the paper leak case, and the investigation is ongoing. If anyone else is found to be involved, action will be taken against them as well.”

The arrests came after a joint team of police and the cyber crime unit launched an investigation into the leak of the BSc Agriculture Entomology examination paper, which was scheduled for August 20.

According to DCP (Crime) Smruthik Rajanala, the matter came to light after the university's Controller of Examinations reported a suspected leak of the Entomology question paper. A joint team comprising local police and the Crime Branch was subsequently formed to investigate the case.

Investigators traced the leak to Bharti College in Durg, which is affiliated with IGKV. Leads from students who had received the leaked questions eventually pointed investigators towards the college.

Police said the alleged main accused, identified as professor Yogesh Sonkeshariya, had been assigned the task of collecting and transporting the sealed question paper from the university.

According to the investigation, the professor allegedly made a small hole in the sealed envelope and inserted an endoscopic camera to scan the question paper without opening it. He then manually transcribed the contents and allegedly copied 15 questions, which were later sold to students.

“In total, six individuals have been arrested, including the professor and five students who received the leaked paper,” Rajanala said.

The Entomology examination was cancelled after the leak was detected on August 20. During interrogation, investigators also found that the accused professor had allegedly used the same method to leak the Plant Pathology examination paper on August 7.

Police said the accused allegedly sold the leaked papers for amounts ranging between Rs 11,000 and Rs 12,000.

The investigation is continuing, and authorities are examining whether others were involved in the paper leak network. The Chief Minister said strict action would be taken against anyone found connected to the case.