Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (RJP)

Bengaluru, Apr 6: 'Question paper King' Shivakumar, who is alleged to be the kingpin behind the second PU chemistry question paper leak in the state, is a former lecturer. He is believed to be very close to cops, as per sources.

Shivakumar, a native of Kaggere village in Tumakuru, is a habitual offender and was arrested for question paper leaks in 2008, 2011 and also for the leak in the 2012, the arrest in the last case coming in 2013 through a joint operation by police and CCB. Investigations and his mobile call records had proved that he had a close relationship with many police officers.

Sources say that while the children of some police officers benefitted from the recent chemistry paper leak, some other officers themselves benefitted in the KPSC and other police department examinations.

It is said that Shivakumar is very close to an officer who has links to the state government and the police department. Shivakumar’s son Dinesh is also close to this officer. The name of the officer has not yet been revealed for 'technical reasons'.

Incidentally, Dinesh had scored 95 percent in his PUC exams and got a medical seat. But he was unable to finish MBBS and dropped out.

Shivakumar had given up his lecturer job to start his own tutorial in Tumakuru. Thereafter he started selling question papers not only of PUC, but of all major exams held in the state. Hence, over the years, he had become very close to officials from revenue, treasury, PWD, police and other departments.

Police have so far arrested 6 persons in relation to the question paper leak. The arrested persons include Manjunath, the physical education teacher of Cambridge school in Vijayanagara. He is also a LIC agent. Three of the arrested persons will be produced in court on Wednesday March 6.

Shivakumar and his associates Mallesh and Iramallayya are absconding.