In a major crackdown on academic malpractice, the Bengaluru police have arrested a headmaster and five teachers, while apprehending two minor students, for their alleged involvement in leaking and circulating a Class 10 preparatory examination question paper on social media platforms. The arrests, made on Monday, January 12, 2026, follow a formal complaint by the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB).
The Arrests and the Accused
The police identified the six arrested adults as Girish V D, a headmaster from Tumakuru; Amjad Khan, an assistant teacher from Ramanagara; and four teachers from Kalaburagi—Shahida Begum, Fahmida, Mohammed Sirajuddin, and K Farzana Begum. Alongside them, two minor students were taken into custody for their role in the online circulation of the compromised paper.
The investigation was triggered after KSEAB filed a formal complaint with the North CEN police station on January 7. The board alleged that question papers for the crucial Class 10 preparatory exams were being widely shared on social media, compromising the integrity of the examination process.
Widespread Leak and Student Profiteering
A senior police officer involved in the probe revealed that the leak had multiple points of origin, making it difficult to pinpoint a single source. "We have been unable to identify any singular source of the leak. We have found that it was leaked in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, and Shivamogga," the officer stated.
Explaining the alleged modus operandi, the officer said, "We suspect that the teachers forwarded it to the students in an attempt to get them to pass… But later, the students sold the same question paper to their classmates and on Telegram and other platforms for Rs 300-500." This turn of events, where students allegedly monetized the leaked content, significantly widened the scandal's reach.
Legal Action and a Separate YouTube Case
The police have registered a case under Section 66 (c) of the Information Technology Act, which deals with identity theft. In a related but separate incident at the same police station, an FIR was registered on January 9 against a YouTube channel.
This complaint, filed by Raju N, Joint Director of the Department of Pre-University Education in Bengaluru, alleged that a channel named 'NiranjanShetty' (@Niranjan Shetty9581) created and uploaded a Hindi question paper designed to mimic the official format. Police clarified that this paper was not authentic but was crafted to appear genuine, potentially misleading students.
The arrests highlight ongoing challenges in securing examination systems and raise serious concerns about ethical breaches within educational institutions. The case continues to be under investigation as authorities work to determine the full extent of the leak network.
