Unhealthy competition, greed behind SSC leak saga

Most coaching classes in Bhiwandi allegedly assured parents their child will score more than 90% in the SSC exams. Pic for representation

Unhealthy competition driven by greed between Bhiwandi's mushrooming coaching classes is the prime reason behind the SSC paper leaks, preliminary investigation by the police has revealed. More than 30 local classes, whose students received the question papers on WhatsApp hours before the exam, have come under the police scanner.

Confirming the development, deputy commissioner of police Ankit Goel said, "According to our investigation so far, the primary reason for this paper leak is the competition between coaching classes to attract students."

Police said there are coaching classes on every street corner in Bhiwandi. Most of them are run in the homes of local teachers who are BSc graduates. To attract students, they give them a mountain of promises and at the end of the day buy papers for the 'good' scores, said the cops. Most of these classes have allegedly assured parents that their children will score more than 90 per cent in the SSC exams.

Also Read: SSC paper leaks: Brave tutor who blew the whistle collected evidence through WhatsApp

Career Classes in Bhiwandi, whose owner Wazir Shaikh has been arrested

Overtaken by greed

A police source said, "The police have received details about several coaching classes and all of them will be questioned soon. Most of these classes are run by teachers who also teach in schools and colleges. We have got their details," said police source.

Activist Govind Sharma, who helped in exposing the leak said, "Bhiwandi has many coaching classes. In fact, in Dhamankar Naka alone, there are 60+ coaching classes. A few of these are run by teachers from schools and colleges. They promise guaranteed passing percentage. This has been happening for decades. Teachers have been overtaken by greed.

Incompetent teachers and coaching classes resort to such methods. Parents are equally responsible as well." Sharma also demanded questioning police officers appointed at board exam centres while transferring the crucial papers, as they might have observed some suspicious activities of the accused.

Also Read: Mumbai Crime: Two more tutors arrested for leaking SSC exam papers

Another arrest made

Meanwhile, cops have arrested one Mohammed Navid Mobin, a coaching classes teacher, who is a business partner of arrested accused Wazir Shaikh. Mobin allegedly helped Shaikh circulate the papers.

They have also gathered more evidence. A police source said, "During investigations, we tracked each and every mobile phone through which the papers were circulated. The messages that have been retrieved from all the cell phones are now a part of the evidence."

The focus remains on those who sought to profit from the leak. "There's an endless number of users, and not all of them are culprits. Therefore, we are focusing mainly on the people who took part in the leak for business," said DCP Goel.

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No. of coaching classes in the Bhiwandi area that are now under the police scanner

Also Read: Mumbai Crime: Parents to face Bhiwandi police heat post SSC question paper leaks online

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