Question paper leak case: Chittoor court cancels Narayana's bail

CHITTOOR: In a major setback to former Minister Ponguru Narayana, a Chittoor court on Monday cancelled the bail granted to him earlier in connection with the class 10th question paper leak case. While cancelling the bail, the court asked the TDP leader to surrender before it on or before November 11.

The decision came as a big shock to the founder of the Narayana Group of Educational Institutions. On May 10, 2022, Narayana was arrested by the Chittoor Town Police following an alleged leak of question paper for a class 10 examination at a branch of a Narayana school in Chittoor district.

He was picked up from his Hyderabad residence and was taken to Chittoor by road, the journey taking about 12 hours. However, in a dramatic turn of events, he was granted bail by Judge Sulochana Rani of the Fourth Additional Magistrate Court of Chittoor in the early hours of May 11 after he was produced at the judge's residence.

The judge concurred with the arguments of his advocates that he quit his positions in the group in 2014. Rejecting the police request for remand, the judge granted bail to Narayana. Now that his bail has been cancelled, it remains to be seen if the former Minister complies with the order and surrenders before the Chittoor court or goes in appeal against the bail cancellation in a higher court.

Narayana is facing charges in the case under Sections 408, 409, 120B and 207 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that deals with malpractice of public examinations.

Close to 60 persons were arrested in connection with the case in the aftermath of the alleged question paper leak incident in one of the Narayana schools in Chittoor town.