SC issues notice to Haryana, Centre on AIPMT leak

R Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, May 18

The Supreme Court today issued notice to Haryana and others on a petition seeking cancellation of the All India Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Test (AIPMT), 2015, conducted on May 3 in view of the alleged leak of answer keys and their sale for Rs 15-20 lakh each.

A summer vacation Bench of Justices AK Sikri and UU Lalit sought immediate response from the state government, the Centre, the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Central Board of Secondary Education and posted the case for further hearing on May 21.

Appearing for student-petitioners, counsel Prashant Bhushan pleaded for conducting the AIPMT-2015 afresh in the interest of meritorious candidates affected by the leak.

The investigation carried out by a special investigation team of the Haryana Police had revealed that the accused gang operated in different states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan, the petitioners said.

The probe also showed that the gang’s modus operandi involved the use electronic gadgets for carrying out the alleged transmission of answer keys to candidates. This was similar to the leak of entrance paper of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for various post-graduation courses in 2012, they said.

“On account of the involvement of multiple states in the alleged leak of answer keys, future of genuine candidates is in jeopardy. Since the conduct of the examination stands vitiated, it ought to be annulled,” the petition said.