Telangana BJP president and party MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar did not appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the alleged leak of a question paper of State public service commission, on Sunday after being asked by it, though the party's legal team met the officials here.
Kumar in a letter addressed to the SIT, said in view of the ongoing Parliament session, he will not be able to appear before it.
The SIT of Telangana police on Saturday issued notice to Kumar directing that he appear before it on March 26.
Referring to the reported comments of Kumar that there are some incredible truths on the paper leak issue, the SIT officials sought his appearance before the SIT on March 26 with any documents in his possession in the interest of the investigation.
Reacting to the SIT notice, Kumar in the letter said, "When I came to know through a few independent sources that a large number of people were unduly qualified in a certain village, I put it in the public domain so that, as SIT, you would investigate the matter to find out the veracity of the information".
"Instead of pursuing the matter, you chose to serve notice on me and expect me to appear before you. In view of the ongoing Parliament session, I will not be able to appear before you on March 26," the Telangana BJP chief said and further alleged that "there has been a concerted effort to underplay the scam".
The BJP on Saturday demanded the resignation of State IT Minister K T Rama Rao and probe by a sitting judge into the issue. Rama Rao, however, dismissed the resignation demand, saying the TSPSC is an autonomous institution.
Several people, including some employees of TSPSC have been arrested over their alleged involvement in the data breach -- for stealing and leaking question papers of TSPSC's Assistant Engineer (Civil) examination, among other exams.
The Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) on March 15 cancelled the Assistant Engineers (AE) exam held on March 5, following allegations that the question paper had been leaked.
Amid protests by opposition parties and students' groups over the alleged question paper leak, the Commission had cancelled the Group-I preliminary exam and two other tests as well.
