SC notice to Jagdish Vishnoi on Raj plea to cancel bail in SI paper leak case

Jaipur: The Supreme Court Tuesday issued notice to Sub-Inspector recruitment exam paper leak accused Jagdish Vishnoi on a Rajasthan govt plea seeking cancellation of his bail in the 2021 case.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Kotiswar Singh heard the matter after the state challenged the Rajasthan High Court’s Jan 16 order granting bail to Vishnoi, which the prosecution described as linked to “grave and organised criminal activity”.

“We filed the special leave petition (SLP) against the bail order on April 29 to object to the bail,” additional advocate general Shiv Mangal Sharma, appearing for the Rajasthan govt, said.

Additional Solicitor General S D Sanjay and Sharma opposed continuation of bail, arguing Vishnoi was among the “masterminds and kingpins” of the network. Prosecutors alleged Vishnoi, along with other accused and centre superintendent Rajesh Khandelwal, procured confidential question papers through WhatsApp after allegedly paying Rs 10 lakh, and that the papers were later solved and circulated among candidates for money.

Sharma said investigators recovered a diary containing details of candidates and financial transactions, and that an FSL report confirmed the handwriting belonged to Vishnoi. “He was involved in similar criminal activities since 2008 and was a history-sheeter, with 13 other criminal cases,” Sharma argued.

The state told the court 139 accused have been arrested so far and nearly 150 witnesses are yet to be examined. The Supreme Court asked Vishnoi to respond on why his bail should not be cancelled.