HCS (Judicial) paper leak: Chandigarh cops had named 9 accused

Chandigarh, December 17

In September 2017, the Chandigarh Police registered an FIR in the Haryana Civil Services (HCS) paper leak case.

Dr Balwinder Sharma, the then Registrar (Recruitment) at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and two beneficiaries, Sunita and Sushila, were initially named in the case. A subsequent special investigation team (SIT) uncovered six additional suspects connected to the paper leak.

The investigation disclosed that Sunita had ties with Dr Balwinder Sharma and Sushila was acquainted with Suman before the exam.

As per the prosecution theory, Sharma allegedly provided the question paper to Sunita, who then passed it on to Sushila, engaging in negotiations with another woman named Suman for monetary gain.

Call records between Sharma and Sunita reportedly indicated continuous communication since September 2016. Further scrutiny revealed that they allegedly changed their mobile numbers in February 2017 for clandestine conversations.

As per the prosecution theory, Sharma, in an attempt to conceal his actions, visited Sunita at Sector 18 temple where she stayed, using cabs booked through a fake profile named “KharoosKharoos” and “Deepak Goyal,” instead of using his official vehicle. On July 10, 2017, Sharma had allegedly handed the question paper to Sunita.

The following day, Sunita allegedly showed the paper to her friend Sushila, instructing her to offer it to any candidate willing to pay Rs 1-1.5 Crore. A meeting at a restaurant in Sector17, allegedly took place a day before the exam between Sunita and Suman, but a disagreement over the amount prevented a deal.

Suman later approached the High Court with evidence that she was offered the question paper.

Sunita, who had secured the top position in the examination, was arrested in November 2017, while Sharma was apprehended a month later on December 28. In January, 2020, the district court had framed charges against nine accused including Dr Balwinder Sharma, Sunita and her aide Sushila, who both took the exam; Sunita’s brother Kuldeep Kumar; Sunita’s aide Ayushi Godara; Ayushi’s father Subhash Godara and maternal uncle Sushil Bhadu; Congress leader Sunil Chopra; and Tejinder Bishnoi.