The court held that the case was not one of negligence or procedural error but a “well-planned conspiracy” aimed at manipulating board examination results. Those convicted include Porabai, the principal of her school, the examination centre superintendent, and a teacher. All were found guilty of tampering with answer sheets and facilitating mass copying to project the student as the state topper.
The case dates back to 2008, when Porabai, a student of Saraswati Shishu Mandir Higher Secondary School in Birra, topped the Class 12 Chhattisgarh Board examinations. Soon after the results were declared, questions were raised over her marks. Education officials flagged irregularities in subject-wise scores, and discrepancies were noticed in the handwriting across her answer scripts.
Acting on the directions of the then Deputy Secretary of the Board, P.K. Pandey, a special inquiry was ordered. The investigation confirmed overwriting, altered marks, and multiple handwritings in the answer books. Based on the findings, the Chhattisgarh Board registered a criminal case against Porabai and eight others, alleging a coordinated fraud involving school and examination authorities.
During the trial, the prosecution presented the inquiry report, original answer sheets, testimonies of witnesses, and statements from board officials. Additional Public Prosecutor Kedarnath Kashyap argued that such large-scale manipulation was impossible without internal collusion. The defence, however, claimed the allegations were based on suspicion and sought acquittal.
In December 2020, a magistrate court in Champa had acquitted all the accused. The verdict was challenged by the prosecution in the Janjgir Sessions Court in July 2021. After prolonged hearings, the appellate court found the evidence credible and sufficient to establish guilt.
The court described Porabai as the primary beneficiary of the conspiracy and held the other three convicts to be active participants. The verdict is being seen as a significant step toward restoring public confidence in the education system and reinforcing accountability in examination processes.
